Practical
Plants

Lewisia rediviva

Bitter-Root

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Lewisia
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.05 m
Spread
0.05 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

Root - cooked[6][11][14][4]. The root was a staple food of some native North American Indian tribes[10]. It is said to be extremely nutritious, 50 - 80 grams being sufficient to sustain an active person for a day[11][8]. The root is, however, rather small and tedious to collect in quantity[8]. It is easiest to use when the plant is in flower in the spring, because the outer layer of the root (which is very bitter) slips off easily at this time of the year[13][15]. Whilst being boiled the roots become soft and swollen and exude a pink mucilaginous substance[5]. The root swells to about 6 times its size and resembles a jelly-like substance[2]. The root has a good taste though a decided bitter flavour develops afterwards[13]. If the root is stored for a year or two the bitterness is somewhat reduced[5]. The root can also be dried, ground into a powder and used as a mush or a thickener in soups etc[9][10].

Plant part
Root

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.

The root is cardiac and galactogogue[10]. An infusion of the root has been used to increase the milk flow in nursing mothers, to relieve heart pain and the pain of pleurisy and also as a blood purifier[10]. The root has been eaten raw to counteract the effects of poison ivy rash and as a treatment for diabetes[10]. The pounded dry root has been chewed in the treatment of sore throats[10]. A poultice of the raw roots has been applied to sores[10].

Product or use
Blood purifier
Product or use
Cardiac
Product or use
Galactogogue
Product or use
Poultice

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Montana to British Columbia, south to California and Colorado.
Habitat
Gravelly to heavy, usually dry soils[12]. Rocky dry soils of valleys, or on foothills, stony slopes, ridges and mountain summits to about 2,500 metres[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame in a very freely draining soil[3]. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in a cold frame. One months cold stratification should improve germination, though this is still likely to be very slow. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in March/April. Very difficult.

Cultivation

Requires a very well-drained gritty humus-rich deep soil in a sunny position[1][7]. This species is not reliably hardy in Britain. It can withstand consistently very cold weather but does not like alternating periods of mild and cold conditions, nor does it like winter wet[1]. The plant is very susceptible to rotting at the neck in a damp soil[7]. The plant is easy to kill by over-watering but extremely difficult to kill by under-watering. Roots that have been dried and stored for a number of years have been known to come back into growth when moistened[15]. The plant dies down after flowering and re-appears in September. It must be kept dry whilst dormant[3]. It is best grown in a greenhouse or bulb frame[7]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is the state flower of Montana[13][15]. Very apt to hybridize with other members of this genus[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

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  3. ? Alpine Garden Society Bulletin. Volume 56. Alpine Garden Society

    ↩1↩2

  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

    ↩1↩2

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

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

    ↩1↩2

  9. Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press 1963-00-00 ISBN 63-7093

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

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

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  13. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962-00-00 ISBN 0-911010-54-8

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  15. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

    ↩1↩2↩3

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