Indian basket grass, Bear grass
Xerophyllum tenax
Family: Melanthiaceae
What it is like
A herb. It grows up to 1.5 m high. It is smooth and light green. It keeps growing from year to year. It has a thick rootstock. There are many lower leaves which are long, tough and narrow. They are 2-4 mm wide. The leaves on the stem are like needles and much shorter. The flowers occur as many together in a long raceme. The lower flowers open first. The fruit is an oval capsule.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows on dry hillsides and subalpine meadows in the Rocky Mountains.
Countries/locations it is found in
Canada, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The rhizomes are stringy but edible. They are best roasted or boiled.
Edible parts
Root, rhizome