Arrowleaf Balsamroot Flower

Every year in April we see the arrival of an Okanagan flower that holds a special place in the hearts of everyone at Blue Mountain Vineyard.  The Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) is part of the Aster family but is also known as the Okanagan Sun Flower.

For Blue Mountain it is the flower that graces the tops of all of our bottles and appears on our labels.  Arrowleaf balsamroot can also be found in abundance on the hillsides along Allendale Rd on the drive past the vineyards on the way to the winery.

The bright yellow flower prefers drier, open sloped and sagebrush flats from low to moderate elevations.  Habitat we have heaps of in the Okanagan thus its appearance on hillsides all over the valley. 

What you may not know is that all of the plant can be eaten.  The leaves can be consumed raw or steamed and its large taproot can be dried, roasted or steamed.  The bloom does contain small seeds that can be eaten raw or pounded for use as a flower.  It therefore is a popular food for wildlife and domestic animals. 

So get out on a local trail in the Okanagan and enjoy these sunny flowers over the next few weeks.  Once the flowers are gone and the leaves fade it is difficult to find evidence of these welcomed bursts of colour.

Happy Spring!