Hairy Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hispidula)
By Charmaine Delmatier, 2014
A member of the sunflower family, Asteraceae, the largest plant family in the world with 23,000 species, hairy balsamroot (Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hispidula) resembles a true sunflower with its large yellow flowering-heads. Balsamorhiza refers to the Balsam tree-like taste and smell of the root; where “rhiza" is a Greek derivative translating to “root.” Balsamroots are native to western North America and comprise about twelve species. They tend to grow in open spaces of mountain shrubs, grasslands, and pinyon-juniper woodlands.
Hairy balsamroot, also known as Hooker’s balsamroot, is found in several western states extending from Washington south to northern California, and across the Intermountain region to Colorado. Its distribution spans Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and reaches into northwest Arizona. It has also been reported in southeast Oregon. Once more prevalent, it has since declined in numbers, but the reason for its gradual disappearance has not yet been documented. Some have speculated it could be from a change in its habitat due to altered fire regimes from native plant communities being replaced with nonnative invasive plants. It is considered rare in Arizona and designated as a special status plant on Arizona BLM lands.
This plant is perennial and ranges in height from 2.3 to 15 inches tall. All leaves are basal and a bright green, usually once to twice pinnatifid (divided at least halfway with leaflets), no more than four inches wide, and are broadest at the base narrowly tapering to a point. The face of the leaves are dotted with glands and covered with stiff bristly hairs giving the plant the reason for its common name, hairy balsamroot. The remarkable yellow flowering heads sit atop single stems. Involucres, or whorl of modified leaves below the flower head are bell-shaped and no more than an inch wide. The outer phyllaries, or modified leaves on the involucre taper sharply to a point with their margins fringed with hairs (ciliate). The yellow ray florets, or flower heads, are no longer than 1.5 inches. All species of balsamroot lack a pappus (the bristles, awns, or scales at the tip of the achene).
Its closely related cousin, arrow-leaf balsamroot, is well adapted to fire with the above-ground vegetative material readily cleared by fire, but is able to persist and some speculate thrive following a fire from its strong taproot and caudex system.
Balsamroots have been used as food and medicine by native peoples for many years. The achenes were gathered and ground into flour and the roots were eaten after being cooked. It has been reported that the roots were also used as medicinal remedies for stomach aches and syphilis. It is well known to local people that it is a favorite browse food for domestic sheep and also bighorn sheep.
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