Western Sweetroot
Osmorhiza occidentalis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Apiaceae
- Genus:
- Osmorhiza
- Species:
- Osmorhiza occidentalis
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- mar, apr, may, jun, jul
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow
Native Range
United States: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- often found in forested areas with organic matter
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for a minimum of 140 days. Seeds should be surface sown or only covered with a thin layer of perlite. Conetainers are filled and sown in late fall and irrigated thoroughly prior to winter stratification.
Establishment: Seeds are hand collected in late August when seeds turn dark brown and are easily hand stripped from the inflorescence. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in drying shed prior to cleaning. Germination occurs immediately after snow melt under natural conditions. Germination is reported to be higher in the presence of light for this genus.
Source: npn.rngr.net