Latin Name: Lomatium utriculatum
Common Name(s): Common Lomatium, Spring Gold
Family: Apiaceae
Size: maximum of 2 feet tall and wide
Life Cycle: Perennial
Distribution: The Western US from California to Canada in meadows, scrub, grassy slopes, and open woodlands. Most common west of the Cascades.
Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
USDA Zone: 6 to 9
Drought Tolerance: High. If it gets too dry it just dies to the ground and waits for next year. Seedlings might need some coddling to get through their first year, however, especially if transplanted.
Fire Risk: Quite low and survives well in environments that burn regularly. Foliage dies to the ground by mid-summer.
Cultivation Notes
Spring gold is a great choice for gardens. It is hardy, compact, and adaptable. The yellow flowers are very attractive to insects. It is not picky about soil type, thriving in either sand or clay. It can deal with some summer water and takes well to the garden. It can deal with full, harsh sun or light shade.
Ecology
The attractive yellow flowers bloom in early spring, often being one of the earliest plants to flower. They are very attractive to pollinators, like most plants in the carrot family, particularly parasitic wasps, flies, and small bees. Some lepidopteran larvae also feed on the foliage, including some species of swallowtail. This species is the number one nectar plant for Taylor’s checkerspot (Euphydryas editha taylori).
Uses
Lomatium species have a wide variety of medical and edible uses. I won’t comment on the medical uses here. The plant is edible, from the seeds to the roots. The seeds have a powerful scent and flavor that is something like parsley, cumin, and more. The seeds and the leaves can be eaten and their strong flavor lends themselves well to being used like a spice. The root, while not the largest of the biscuitroots, gets large enough to use and was used as a staple food.
Propagation
Lomatium species are best propagated by seed, but this species can be divided. Seed for this species is widely available but needs to be fresh to germinate well. Protect the seeds from birds and plant in the fall, as they need stratification. Germination is slow and erratic and the seeds are short lived, so plant fresh seed and plant them the first fall you receive them.