RHH's photos with the keyword: balsamorhiza

When we were out hiking last week at Fishtrap Lake the Balsamroots were just starting to bloom. The hillsides and forests will soon be filled with their yellow blossoms, but it was good to see them again. This is a flower just starting to open.

In the Sunflower family, Arrowleaf Balsamroot is a common plant in the west and was an important plant for the native Americans.

These are some photos of a common but beautiful wildflower found all over the drier areas of the Pacific Northwest, the Arrowleaf Balsamroot. In the spring it covers the hillsides and brightens the forest understory. It was used both for food and medicine by the native Americans.

This clump of Arrowleaf Balsamroot was photographed in the woods near our home where it is found in abundance in the spring.

Also known as the Okanagan Sunflower, this plant with its flowers covers and brightens whole hillsides in the spring. It is found in the woods and along the roads near our home. The plant was important to the native people and a specimen was collected by Lewis and Clark.

Also known as the Okanagan Sunflower, this plant with its flowers covers and brightens whole hillsides in the spring. It is found in the woods and along the roads near our home. The plant was important to the native people and a specimen was collected by Lewis and Clark.

Also known as the Okanagan Sunflower, this plant with its flowers covers and brightens whole hillsides in the spring. It is found in the woods and along the roads near our home. The plant was important to the native people and a specimen was collected by Lewis and Clark.

This is one of our most common wildflowers. In the spring the hills of eastern Washington are covered with these large daisy-like flowers, often mixed with the blue of Lupines. These were photographed at Catherine Creek in the Columbia River gorge.

One of our spring wildflowers that covers whole hillsides on the eastern slopes of the Cascades and the Columbia Plateau. This example was photographed at Dog Mountain in the Columbia River gorge.

This wildflower covers the hillsides in May in eastern Washington and on the east side of the mountains. Loves Ponderosa and Sagebrush habitats. This example was photographed in eastern Washington west of Spokane.

Photographed in the Okanagan National Forest. I am not absolutely certain of the identification on this. If anyone knows better please inform me.

In the spring the Arrowleaf Balsamroot covers the foothills and eastern side of the Cascades with a blanket of yellow color. Also known as the Okanagan Sunflower, the plant is large with large flowers and seems tolerant of both sun and shade. The roots, young shoots and seeds are all edible and the roots could also be used as a coffee substitute. The plant as also used medicinally by native tribes for burns and wounds.

The Balsamroots are a family of plants with fragrant roots, as the name suggests, and they all have similar flowers, though the plants can be quite different. This is a rather rare species found only in a small area of eastern Washington, in eastern Oregon and northern California. This example was photographed in Blewett Pass south of Leavenworth, Washington. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2013/05/orchid-hunting-in-leavenworth-area.html

When we were in Reecer creek Canyon several weeks ago the Balsamroots were just starting to flower. They will be blooming everywhere east of the mountains by now. This is the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, the most common species, Balsamorhiza sagittata. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2013/04/reecer-cree...