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Arrowleaf Balsamroot

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I live in the Methow Valley in the northeastern

cascades of Washington State. The valley is
just over 50 miles long and is located a couple
hours (as the crow flies) from the Canadian
border and 4 hours from the Pacific Ocean. 

The valley boasts of large tracts of wilderness

and a variety of ecological niches, from the
sagebrush steppe to riparian rivers, to
evergreen forests and alpine peaks. 

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Each season
Full Sitein the Methow is distinct,
Navigation with intense variations in temperature and plant life. In
May, the otherwise drab hillsides of the sagebrush steppe burst alive with a diversity of
wildflowers, the most prominent being the flower of the valley, Arrowleaf Balsamroot
(Balsamorhiza sagitatta). 

This wild flower of the Asteraceae family covers hillsides from April to June, peaking in the
middle of May. Besides being a visual delight, this plant has played an important role in the
ecology of the Methow for thousands of years. Dense roots run deep into the rocky soils,
preventing erosion; large leaves provide habitat to many scurrying animals and the leaves,
flowers and seeds provide an important food source to mammals as small as field mice, to
ungulates to humans. The resinous roots have been an important medicine for humans for
countless eons. 

This plant grows all over western North America. The USDA range map shows it growing as far
east as the Dakotas, as far south as the US/Mexican border and throughout western Canada as
well. 

Arrowleaf Balsamroot Range Map

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In late April the hillsides are turning
Full Site green, the first flowers are beginning to emerge, and the
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anticipation of yellow hillsides fills the community. Talk at the farmer’s market centers around
whether this will be a good flower year or not. Tourists ask, what are those wild sunflowers on
the hills?

The leaves are large and arrow shaped, hence the common name. Ethnobotanical reports
indicate these large leaves were poulticed and used on burns and wounds. 

Recently, someone commented to me that this flower grows like a weed, but I was quick to
interject. Although it’s very common in our valley, arrowleaf balsamroot plants take many
years to mature and are difficult to transplant. When we harvest this plant we harvest with
respect for each plant, understanding the abundance of this plant is a gi of the valley.

The root is the main part used as medicine.

Herbalist Michael Moore describes arrowleaf
balsamroot as a cross between echinacea and
osha. I can’t personally attest to arrowleaf
balsamroot being an immunomodulator but it
certainly has an affinity for the respiratory
system.

Like many resins the root is decidedly pungent

in taste. A small taste of the root and I feel the
warming and drying qualities as the energy
goes to my lungs, creating the need to clear my
throat or cough. O entimes taking a few drops
of the tincture creates a reflex of taking a large
breath. 

I recently was teaching a class to a group of

students, many of whom had a cold. Passing Root of Arrowleaf Balsamroot

around the tincture of arrowleaf balsamroot, Save 196

students with congestion in their lungs

reported feeling expectoration from their lungs

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and students
Full Site with head colds felt stuck
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mucous in their sinuses start to release.

I prefer to use arrowleaf balsamroot as a fresh root tincture in 95% alcohol. I o en combine
this tincture with elderberry, osha and honey. 

Arrowleaf balsamroot is a stimulating expectorant, stimulating diaphoretic, and an

antimicrobial suitable for sore throats. 

I’ve received the best results when using it as a simple for productive coughs that last beyond
other symptoms of the original cold or flu. 

For sore throats I like to mix 10 - 20 drops of the tincture with a spoonful of honey that is then
swallowed. I o en combine it with a tincture of cottonwood buds.  

I have yet to use arrowleaf balsamroot for a UTI, but Michael Moore describes arrowleaf
balsamroot as an disinfecting diuretic. Darcy Williamson reports that taken in too large of a
dose it will create kidney irritation. 

For external use it infuses into oil very nicely; because of the resins I use heat to extract the
root. This warming aromatic oil relieves pain brought on by blood stagnation such as sore
shoulder muscles or tension associated with coldness. Used as a liniment it also lends itself
well to sore muscles and can also be used to disinfect wounds or kill fungi living on the skin. 

Although lacking experience with this myself I’ve seen ethnobotanical records indicating that
arrowleaf balsamroot is useful for gastrointestinal complaints and toothaches. 

I only need one small root a year to make enough tincture and oil for myself and clients.
Heading out into the brown forest outside of my cabin I look for plants with a modest amount
of foliage indicating the size of the root. 

Large plants can be several decades old and boast a large gnarly root. These large roots can
easily be 5-8 feet deep into the earth. Harvesting arrowleaf balsamroot is no easy task, so I am
content with my smaller sized roots and leave the mature plants to grow. 

Besides searching for the right size I also look for plants on flat ground. Those plants on steep
hillsides are doing an important job of keeping the hillside in place. Lastly, I harvest from a
well-developed stand. 
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I use a traditional
Full Site digging toolNavigation
for my root
harvests. I find sticks are o en easier to use as
a harvest tool than shovels since shovels can
easily slice roots and can o en get caught on
the plethora of rocks hiding in the soil where
arrowleaf balsamroots live. Patience and time
rewards me with a taproot the size of a large
carrot. A hard outer bark envelopes a woody
root in the center. I break apart the outer bark
with a hammer, mince the inner bark and
tincture them both. The resins from the root
cover the cutting board, knife and hands.
Alcohol works well to clean them off. 
Traditional Digging Stick

In the north, winter is a time for animals and Save 196

plants to rest. In our valley the ground is

covered with many feet of snow blanketing all
the plants beneath the soil. Arrowleaf
balsamroot rests in its roots, waiting until
spring to bring forth its many gi s once more. 

Above ground we nestle next to the wood stove

and give our thanks for the medicine of
arrowleaf balsamroot.

Botanically Speaking

Arrowleaf Balsamroot is a perennial growing throughout western North America as far east as
the Dakotas, as far south as California and throughout western Canada as well. It grows in a
variety of habitats, including forested mountains and the sage brush steppe. 

The taproot is covered in a hard bark and is fairly resinous. Depending on the growing habits
and age of the plant, the root can reach several meters into the ground and weigh over 30
pounds. 

The leaves can be fairly large, around 20 inches in length and are arrow shaped or triangular. 
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The flower looks like a sunflower
Full Site with yellow ray flowers. The entire flower head is about the
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size of a small fist. 

The seeds are the size of a grain of rice and are darkly colored, ranging from green to brown to
black depending on the maturity. 

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