Bigseed Biscuitroot
Lomatium macrocarpum
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Lomatium macrocarpum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Open rocky hills and plains, not extending much into the mountains.
Western N. America - British Columbia to California.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Root - raw or cooked. A staple food for a number of native North American Indian tribes. The root is usually peeled before being cooked or eaten. It can be dried and ground into a powder and then used to make cakes etc. Seed - raw or cooked. Very nutritious, they can also be ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread, cakes etc, or be used as a flavouring in soups etc. The seed is very small, but quite easy to harvest. A tea can be made from the leaves, stems and flowers.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 2
An infusion of the roots has been used as a general strengthener for a weakened patient. The infusion is also used as a treatment for colds, influenza and bronchitis. The root has been chewed and the juice swallowed as a treatment for sore throats. The root has been eaten by childless couples, especially older people, in order to help them conceive. A poultice made from the boiled root has been used to treat swellings. The leaves have been used as a padding in a child's cradle to encourage it to sleep more.
Infertility: Used in treating problems of human fertility.
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating: 2
The root has been dried then burnt as a ceremonial incense.
Incense: Aromatic plants that can be burnt to impart a pleasant smell, repel insects and disinfect closed areas.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in much of the country. It can be assumed that plants will require a dry to moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position. Polymorphic. This is a taxonomically very difficult genus, many of the species now included in it have at times been included in other genera. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is a tap root similar to a carrot going directly down.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. 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. Division may be possible in spring or autumn.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Bigseed lomatium, Biscuit root, Bigseed biscuitroot.