Balsamroot

Like the Jerusalem artichoke, sunroot, and Yacon, this plant is a relative of the sunflower. The plant is hardy, perennial, and well-known among Native Americans for its nourishing and medicinal properties. All parts of the plant are edible; here is a small list:
- the roots can be eaten raw, cooked, or baked. The longer you bake or cook them, the sweeter they become. An old tradition is to simmer them over a fire for 3 days! We describe the taste as nutty, sweet with a balsamic aroma. Roasted roots are a coffee substitute.
- young shoots, green or blanched, are delicious as a flavor enhancer in salads.
- older leaves and leaf stalks are eaten cooked; larger quantities help against insomnia!
- young flower stalks are peeled and eaten raw like celery.
- the seeds can be eaten raw or cooked. Roast and grind them, then knead them into a cake that you don't even have to bake! The seeds are rich in oil.

In ancient North American tradition, Balsamroot is used as a medicinal herb: for stomach problems, pain, fever, anti-inflammatory, etc. Consult the Plants For A Future website for more information; we have also taken part of this text from that website.

Even for its ornamental value, the plant is not to be disdained: warm yellow, small sunflowers on 20-60 cm long stems, supported by very drought-resistant, gray hairy leaves.

Names:
Latin: Balsamorhiza sagittata, or Bupthalmium sagitattum
Dutch: Balsemwortel
Also: Balsamwortel
English: Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Oregon Sunflower, Okanagan Sunflower