Fernleaf Biscuitroot, Carrotleaf biscuitroot
Lomatium dissectum

Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae

What it is like

Lomatium dissectum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.4 m (4ft 7in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. 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): 1.4

Where it is found

Open, often rocky slopes and dry meadows, often on talus.

Western N. America - southwards from Alberta and British Columbia.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 4

Root - cooked. Resinous and balsamic. The root can be dried and ground into a powder and then be mixed with cereal flours or added as a flavouring to soups etc. The roots have been boiled to make a refreshing and nutritious drink. Young seed sprouts - raw. Seed. No more details are given, though it is most likely used as an aromatic flavouring in cooked foods.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

Fernleaf biscuitroot was widely employed medicinally by many native North American Indian tribes who considered it to be a universal panacea and used it especially in treating chest problems and skin complaints. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism, but probably warrants investigation. The whole plant, but especially the root, is disinfectant, pectoral, salve, stomachic and tonic. The dried root was used in the treatment of rheumatism, stomach complaints, coughs, colds, hay fever, bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The root was burnt and the smoke inhaled in the treatment of asthma and other chest complaints, it was also used as a herbal steam bath for treating chest complaints. The root was used to make a drink that was taken as a tonic to help people in a weakened condition gain weight. A poultice of the peeled and crushed roots has been applied to open cuts, sores, boils, bruises and rheumatic joints. The root has been soaked in water and then used as an antidandruff wash for the hair. An infusion of the leaves and stems has been used as a tonic. The root oil has been applied as a salve to sores and also used as an eye wash in the treatment of trachoma. Some people may experience a one-time uncomfortable detox rash (please research more on this plant before taking it).

Antidandruff: Treats dandruff.

Disinfectant: Used for cleaning wounds.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

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.

Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Other

Rating: 2

The pulverized root has been burnt as an incense.

Disinfectant: Plants used for disinfecting.

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. This is a taxonomically very difficult genus, many of the species now included in it have at times been included in other genera. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 7. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) 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: 6-10

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Some people may experience a one-time detox rash.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Leptotaenia dissecta. Nutt. Leptotaenia multifida. Nutt.