Practical
Plants

Balsamorhiza hookeri

Balsam Root

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

Root - raw or cooked[6][9][2][5][8]. A sweet and agreeable taste when cooked[11][1]. Seed - raw or cooked[1][4]. It can be ground into a powder and formed into cakes for eating raw or made into a bread[8].

Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

A decoction of the root has been used for stomach problems, bladder complaints and female complaints[257. The sub-species B. hookeri hirsuta has been specified for these uses[8].

Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Women's complaints

Environment

Range
Western and Central N. America
Habitat
Dry rock outcrops in foothills and lowlands[10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 6 days at 18°c. Either sow the seed in individual pots or pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer[3]. Division in spring. Very difficult since the plant strongly resents root disturbance[3]. It is probably best to take quite small divisions, or basal cuttings, without disturbing the main clump. Pot these up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in the greenhouse until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer if they have grown sufficiently, otherwise over-winter them in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring.

Cultivation

Requires a deep fertile well-drained loam in full sun[3][7]. Plants strongly resent winter wet[3][7]. Hardy to at least -25°c[7]. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions whilst still small[3].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

    ↩

  3. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  10. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩

  11. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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