Bitterroot (Lewisia Rediviva)   Bitterroot is the state flower of Montana. Buy state flowers

A s you might guess from its scientific name, bitterroot was discovered by Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, in the western Montana valley that now bears its name. The species name, rediviva, refers to the plant’s hardiness. In fact, bitterroot can live for more than a year without water. Plants that have been dried and pressed have even revived after being soaked! For this reason, bitterroot has also been dubbed the Resurrection flower. A perennial, the bitterroot has an exquisite pink blossom which grows close to the ground. Montana's Indians used it as an important part of their diet. Tribes timed their spring migrations with the blooming of the bitterroot on the gravel river bars and hillsides. Dug, cleaned, and dried, the root provided a lightweight, nutritious supplement to a wild-game diet. At major trading centers like The Dalles, the root was an item of barter and exchange. A sackful commanded a substantial price-usually a horse. One ounce of dried root provided sufficient nourishment for a meal, but the plant was seldom eaten raw, for its bitter taste and resultant swelling caused great discomfort. More traditionally, Indian women boiled the root, then mixed it with meat or berries. Pulverized and seasoned with deer fat and moss, the cooked root could be molded into patties and carried on hunting expeditions or war parties. Few state flowers are more beloved than Montana’s bitterroot. With a strong Indian heritage and a name derived from the leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the bitterroot was most appropriate as a state symbol. ********

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