Gray's Biscuitroot
Lomatium grayi
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Thayne Tuason
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Apiaceae
- Genus:
- Lomatium
- Species:
- Lomatium grayi
- USDA Symbol:
- LOGR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 40 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from deep taproot after fire; common in fire-prone sagebrush steppe and grassland communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- commonly found in arid, open areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require cold stratification; germination can be erratic. Best sown in fall for natural stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours, placed in clear plastic germination boxes on two layers of blotter paper, thoroughly moistened with distilled water, and placed in germinator at 4°C in the dark for a 60-day prechill. Seed also requires a 3-month moist chilling to relieve dormancy. Fall-dormant seeding is required for field germination.
Establishment: Gray's biscuitroot occurs in Northwest North America, primarily from the Cascade and Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains. The yellow flowers bloom as early as March or April and as late as May. The fruit is mature when it turns brown and dehisces readily, typically 5 to 8 weeks after flowering. Fruits are collected by hand stripping them from the compound umbels into a container. After collection, the seed is thoroughly dried and placed in a standard freezer for 48 hours to remove insect pests. It is stored in a large plastic jar at room temperature for 18 months prior to propagation trials.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 months, then place @ 20C for 3 months.