trefle.io · Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA (cc-by-sa)
Apiaceae
Cous-root desert-parsley
Lomatium cous
Also known as Lomatium montanum, Cous biscuitroot, Lomatium cous, Lomatium circumdatum
Flowering Plants · Edibles & Herbs · Native Plants · Lomatium · Cous Root · Desert Parsley · Apiaceae · Native Edible · Intermountain West · Ethnobotany · Pollinator Plant · Native Perennial · Rocky Mountain
Cous-root desert-parsley is a native perennial of the Intermountain West, historically prized by Indigenous peoples as an important food and medicinal plant — its starchy root was a staple of the Nez Perce and other tribes. It thrives in full sun with well-drained, rocky or loamy soils and is well-suited to naturalistic or native plant gardens. Water sparingly once established and avoid heavy clay soils that retain excess moisture around its taproot.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately; allow soil to dry between waterings as roots are adapted to dry conditions · Every 10-14 days
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–8.5
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division, Cutting
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 4 ft
- Spread
- 4 ft
- Spacing
- 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- Yellow
- Foliage
- Green · Fine
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Moths
Sources: trefle, usda
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