Arrowleaf balsamroot, a tufted perennial of the sunflower family, 

 gets both its English and scientific name from its thick, resinous 

 (balsamlike) roots (rliiza, root) and its arrowhead-shaped (sagit- 

 tate) leaves. It is also known simply as balsamroot and is locally 

 called sunflower, graydock, and breadroot. This plant is by far the 

 most important, abundant, and widespread of about eleven species 

 of Balsamorhiza which occur in the Western States. 



Arrowleaf balsamroot is found from the Sierras of California 

 northward, along the east side of the Cascade Mountains into British 

 Columbia and eastward to Saskatchewan, South Dakota, and Colo- 

 rado. It extends from the plains and valleys to elevations of about 

 9,000 feet, being common and abundant throughout most of its range. 

 On many extensive foothill and low mountain ranges it is one of 

 the dominant weed species, sometimes growing in almost pure stands 

 and commonly making up a large, portion of the plant cover. It 

 grows on well-drained soils and open, fairly dry situations such as 

 southerly exposures, open ridges, and parks throughout the sage- 

 brush, oakbrush, and ponderosa pine types and also occurs on open, 

 sunny slopes in the Douglas fir and aspen belts. 



Arrowleaf balsamroot begins growth and produces its flowers 

 early in the season. On ranges where the plant is common, it is 

 useful as a familiar and reliable indicator of range readiness. Gen- 

 erally the range is ready for grazing when the majority of the 

 plants are in full flower. Arrowleaf balsamroot is an important 

 forage plant, especially valuable on the spring ranges. This plant 

 is usually of fair palatability for all classes of livestock. In some 

 localities both cattle and sheep graze it closely even where other 

 palatable forage is abundant. The flowers are especially palatable 

 but all portions of the plant except the coarser stalks are eaten. 

 Horses like this weed and are especially fond of the flowers. The 

 plants are eaten throughout the grazing season but are usually much 

 more palatable during the spring and early summer than later when 

 they become tough and dry. Deer and elk eat freely of the green 

 leafage. It may well be that they also crop the heads ; observations 

 on this point are needed. 



Ordinarily the seed of arrowleaf balsamroot ripens and the leaves 

 dry up during midsummer, but on moist sites and at the higher ele- 

 vations this does not occur until late summer. The dry leafage is 

 eaten lightly by horses, cattle, sheep, and by foraging game animals, 

 especially in the fall when moistened by the early rains and snows. 



Reproduction is accomplished entirely by seed which is normally 

 produced in fairly large quantities. This weed is not very aggres- 

 sive in reproducing itself on grazed ranges, probably because the 

 seeds are low in viability and the grazing of the flowers by livestock 

 materially reduces the chances for production of a satisfactory seed 

 crop. In some localities the seed crop is periodically destroyed by 

 insects. The strong, deep, perennial root system enables arrowleaf 

 balsamroot to withstand heavy trampling and close grazing fairly 

 well. Under proper range management it should maintain and 

 increase itself satisfactorily. The root often becomes several inches 

 in diameter and reaches depths of several to many feet. 



