Bitterroot is the state flower of Montana, producing large, showy pink-to-white flowers from a nearly leafless stem in spring. It grows from a thick, starchy root that was a crucial food source for indigenous peoples of the Northwest, who traded it over vast distances. The plant is remarkable for its ability to survive uprooted for months and still regrow when replanted.
Habitat
Rocky, dry mountain slopes and desert grasslands of the interior Northwest
Diet
Flowers visited by native bees; roots historically dug by indigenous peoples
How common
Common
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