We depend on donations from users of our database of over 8000 edible and useful plants to keep making it available free of charge and to further extend and improve it. In recent months donations are down, and we are spending more than we receive. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Lomatium foeniculaceum - (Nutt.)Coult.&Rose.

Common Name Desert Biscuitroot, Inyo biscuitroot, Macdougal's biscuitroot
Family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry open slopes, valleys, plains and at moderate elevations[60]. Prairies in calcareous clay soils in Texas[274].
Range Western N. America - Manitoba and Texas to Montana.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Lomatium foeniculaceum Desert Biscuitroot, Inyo biscuitroot, Macdougal


http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov
Lomatium foeniculaceum Desert Biscuitroot, Inyo biscuitroot, Macdougal
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Lomatium foeniculaceum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root  Seed
Edible Uses:

Root - cooked[2]. It can be dried and ground into a powder and then be mixed with cereal flours or added to soups etc[46, 61, 105]. Seed[106]. No more details are given, though it is most likely used as an aromatic flavouring in cooked foods[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in much of the country. It can be assumed that plants will require a dry to moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position. This is a taxonomically very difficult genus, many of the species now included in it have at times been included in other genera[60].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

Shop Now

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be rather slow to germinate, when sown in the spring it usually takes at least 12 months to germinate. Giving it a period of cold stratification might reduce this time. The seedlings need to be pricked out into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle, and should be planted out into their permanent positions in the summer. Fresh seed can be sown immediately in situ. Division may be possible in spring or autumn.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Lomatium ambiguumBiscuitroot, Wyeth biscuitrootPerennial0.8 0-0  LMHNDM41 
Lomatium canbyiBiscuitroot, Canby's biscuitrootPerennial0.0 0-0  LMHNDM40 
Lomatium cousBiscuitroot, Cous biscuitrootPerennial0.1 5-12  LMHNDM401
Lomatium dissectumFernleaf Biscuitroot, Carrotleaf biscuitrootPerennial1.4 6-10  LMHNDM422
Lomatium eurycarpum Perennial0.0 -  LMHNDM20 
Lomatium farinosumNorthern Biscuitroot, Hamblen's biscuitrootPerennial0.0 0-0  LMHNDM30 
Lomatium gayeriBiscuitrootPerennial0.5 -  LMHNDM40 
Lomatium gormaniiGorman's biscuitrootPerennial0.2 0-0  LMHNDM30 
Lomatium grayiBiscuitroot, Gray's biscuitrootPerennial0.5 0-0  LMHNDM40 
Lomatium macrocarpumBigseed BiscuitrootPerennial0.5 5-10  LMHNDM422
Lomatium nudicaulePestle Parsnip, Barestem biscuitrootPerennial0.6 6-8  LMHNDM422
Lomatium triternatumNineleaf Biscuitroot, Broadnineleaf biscuitrootPerennial0.8 0-0  LMHNDM311
Lomatium utriculatumCommon LomatiumPerennial0.0 -  LMHNDM31 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Print Friendly and PDF

Expert comment

Author

(Nutt.)Coult.&Rose.

Botanical References

60274

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

jlturner   Sun May 25 2008

I think, though I am not sure, that this is the plant I knew growing up on ranches in Wyoming and Montana as 'wild carrot'. It would come out in April, and was much looked forward to as a treat. The stems are very tasty- kind of like a spicy celery, though it's hard to describe. I tried once to transplant them to Connecticut without luck. I would love to know if this is that same high-plains plant...and, as none of these sites refer to eating the stems, if that's a fine thing to do!

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Lomatium foeniculaceum  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.