Lewisia rediviva

bitter root

bitterroot, Oregon bitter-root

Did you know?:

Many northwestern Native Americans used bitter root for food, its roots eaten fresh, dried, boiled, steamed, or pit roasted.

Photo Credit:

What does this species look like?

Bitter root is a small, low, perennial, herbaceous plant, with succulent leaves and flowers emerging from fleshy roots. Each plant has one to several large, white to pink to rose, showy flowers, each having both male and female parts.

Bitter root likes gravelly to heavy, mostly dry soils, and can be found from grasslands and sagebrush plains to the woodlands and forests of lower mountains.

Why observe this species?

Bitter root is a USA-NPN regional plant species. Regional species are ecologically or economically important and are distributed more locally than calibration species. The USA-NPN integrates these observations to better understand plant responses within the different geographic regions of the nation.

Where is this species found?

U.S. States:

AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY

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Special Considerations for Observing

If drought seems to be the cause of leaf senescence for a plant, please make a comment to that effect.

Which phenophases should I observe?

Leaves	Do you see...? *Initial growth* New growth of the plant is visible, either from above-ground buds with green tips, or new green or white shoots breaking through the soil surface. Growth is considered "initial" on each bud or shoot until the first leaf has fully unfolded. More... *Leaves* One or more live fully unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. For seedlings, consider only true leaves and do not count the one or two small, round leaves (cotyledons) that are found on the stem almost immediately after the seedling emerges. Do not include dried or dead leaves. More...
Flowers	Do you see...? *Flowers* One or more fresh flowers or flower heads (inflorescences) are visible on the plant. Flower heads include many small flowers that usually do not open all at once. Do not include wilted or dried flowers that remain on the plant, or heads whose flowers have all wilted or dried. How many fresh flowers or flower heads are present? Less than 3 3 to 10 More than 10 More... *Open flowers* One or more open fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include wilted or dried flowers that remain on the plant. How many fresh flowers are open? Less than 3 3 to 10 More than 10 More...
Fruits	Do you see...? *Fruits* One or more fresh fruits are visible on the plant. How many fresh fruits are present? Less than 3 3 to 10 More than 10 More... *Ripe fruits* One or more ripe fruits are visible on the plant. How many fruits are ripe? Less than 3 3 to 10 More than 10 More... *Recent fruit drop* One or more fresh mature fruits or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include obviously immature fruits that have dropped before ripening, such as in a heavy rain or wind. How many mature fruits have dropped? Less than 3 3 to 10 More than 10 More...

Leaves

Do you see...?

Initial growth
New growth of the plant is visible, either from above-ground buds with green tips, or new green or white shoots breaking through the soil surface. Growth is considered "initial" on each bud or shoot until the first leaf has fully unfolded. More...

Leaves
One or more live fully unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. For seedlings, consider only true leaves and do not count the one or two small, round leaves (cotyledons) that are found on the stem almost immediately after the seedling emerges. Do not include dried or dead leaves. More...

Flowers

Do you see...?

Flowers
One or more fresh flowers or flower heads (inflorescences) are visible on the plant. Flower heads include many small flowers that usually do not open all at once. Do not include wilted or dried flowers that remain on the plant, or heads whose flowers have all wilted or dried.

How many fresh flowers or flower heads are present?

Less than 3

3 to 10

More than 10

More...

Open flowers
One or more open fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include wilted or dried flowers that remain on the plant.

How many fresh flowers are open?

Less than 3

3 to 10

More than 10

More...

Fruits

Do you see...?

Fruits
One or more fresh fruits are visible on the plant.

How many fresh fruits are present?

Less than 3

3 to 10

More than 10

More...

Ripe fruits
One or more ripe fruits are visible on the plant.

How many fruits are ripe?

Less than 3

3 to 10

More than 10

More...

Recent fruit drop
One or more fresh mature fruits or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include obviously immature fruits that have dropped before ripening, such as in a heavy rain or wind.

How many mature fruits have dropped?

Less than 3

3 to 10

More than 10

More...

For more information

USDA PLANTS profile for bitter root (USDA Symbol: LERE7)
ITIS information for bitter root (ITIS TSN: 20490)

Acknowledgments

Observe Plants & Animals