Bitterroot

Did you know

• The genus is named after Meriwether Lewis, who collected specimens during the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1806.
• The species name rediviva means 'brought back to life' because a dried herbarium specimen reportedly sprouted and grew.
• It is the state flower of Montana, and the Bitterroot Mountains and Bitterroot Valley are named after it.
• The Flathead (Salish) people considered the roots a vital food source and traded them widely across the Pacific Northwest.
• The roots were so bitter that Lewis himself wrote in his journal that they were 'nauseous to my palate.'

Color meanings

Uses

• rock gardens
• native plant gardens
• historical food source
• alpine collections