Practical
Plants

Lomatium nudicaule

Pestle Parsnip

a perennial member of the Lomatium genus in the family Umbelliferae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.6 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - raw or cooked[6]. The taste is rather like a hot spicy parsnip[6]. The root can be roasted and used as a vegetable, or can be dried and ground into a powder then used as a flavouring in soups etc[1][2]. Leaves and young shoots - eaten as a vegetable or used as a celery-like flavouring in soups etc[3][4][7]. The leaves, stems and flowers are infused and used as a beverage[2][4][7]. Seed - raw or cooked[7]. The immature seed is chewed as a refreshing snack and can be used as a flavouring in soups etc[7]. The vitamin C content of young plants is remarkably high, one cup providing more than the recommended daily allowance[4]. (the part of the plant is not referred to, it is probably the leaves)

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Stem
Product or use
Tea

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.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seeds are analgesic, diaphoretic, febrifuge, laxative and pectoral[7]. They have been chewed in the treatment of fevers, colds and sore throats[7]. An infusion has been used by pregnant women to ensure an easy delivery[7]. A poultice of the crushed seeds has been applied to the head to relieve the pain of headaches[7]. The poultice has also been applied to sore places, pains and itches[7].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Laxative
Product or use
Pectoral
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed is spicy and aromatic, it is used as a house fumigant and deodorant. It also repels mosquitoes[9].

Product or use
Incense
Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Western N. America - South British Columbia to California.
Habitat
Dry open or lightly wooded areas at low to moderate elevations[8]
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[5]. Stored seed can be rather slow to germinate, when sown in the spring it usually takes at least 12 months to germinate. Giving it a period of cold stratification might reduce this time. The seedlings need to be pricked out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, and should be planted out into their permanent positions in the summer. Fresh seed can be sown immediately in situ[5]. Division may be possible in spring or autumn.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a sunny position in a fertile well-drained soil[5]. Plants are frost hardy[5]. This is a taxonomically very difficult genus, many of the species now included in it have at times been included in other genera[8].

References

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

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

    ↩1↩2

  9. Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7

    ↩

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