Balsamroot is a long-lived, perennial that grows between 20 and 80 cm tall; stems are wooly-hairy. Leaves of balsamroot are coarse, basal and arrow-shaped with entire margins. Leaf blades are up to 30 cm in length on long, stout stalks and have white wooly hairs beneath. The flower of balsamroot is a solitary head, but individual plants can have many flowers. The center disk flowers are numerous, perfect, 2-4 cm long and deep yellow. The outer ray flowers are numerous, petal-like, female, 5 cm long, and pale yellow. The fruit is a 4-sided, glabrous achene.

Antirheumatic, diuretic, cathartic, diaphoretic, febrifuge and vulnerary (root)

Balsamorhiza sagittata (Pursh.) Nutt
Plants for a Future

For stomach pains, colds, whooping cough, TB, fevers and headaches (leaves, root and stem); to treat sore mouths and throats, toothaches, for body aches such as rheumatism, on wounds, blisters, bites, swellings and sores (root); for dysentery (seeds)