BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Balsamorhiza sagittata | Arrowleaf Balsamroot 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Arrowleaf balsamroot is a native, cool-season, long-lived perennial forb
[29].  The coarse, basal leaves are arrow shaped, with entire margins
[24,29].  The flower heads are usually solitary on scapose stems which
reach 9 to 24 inches (20-60 cm) in height [29].  Arrowleaf balsamroot
grows from a large woody root surmounted by a multicipital caudex [12].
The resinous taproot may grow to several inches in diameter and up to 9
feet (270 cm) in length [26,31].  Fruit of arrowleaf balsamroot is a
glabrous achene [29].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual reproduction:  Arrowleaf balsamroot spreads entirely by seed
[24].  Seed is mostly animal disseminated [Shaw, pers. comm. 1987].
Seed yield is generally abundant, but crops are often lost to late
frosts, insects, and grazing animals.  Viability of seed is often low
due to insect damage [24].

A 3-month stratification of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 deg C) is required
to break dormancy.  On sagebrush rangelands, continuous snow cover for 3
months provides for successful cool-moist stratification of seeds [36].

Vegetative reproduction:  Arrowleaf balsamroot regenerates vegetatively
from the very large (several inches in diameter), deep-seated (up to 9
feet deep), woody taproot surmounted by a many-headed caudex bearing
several or many rosettes of leaves and from which new aerial stems arise
each year [12,20,26].  However, Mueggler [pers. comm. 1987] points out
that it is questionable whether new taproots are formed, which would
enable these individual rosettes to become truly individual plants.


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Arrowleaf balsamroot is often a dominant forb on many dry foothills and
semiarid mountain rangelands.  It prefers well drained, fairly deep
soils and open, fairly dry situations, such as southerly exposures, open
ridges, and parks, throughout the sagebrush, oakbrush, and ponderosa
pine types [22,31].  It also occurs on open sunny slopes in Douglas-fir
and aspen forests [31].  Arrowleaf balsamroot is resistant to drought
and will tolerate semishade [33].

Sites are often rocky [10].  Arrowleaf balsamroot will occur in
moderately alkaline to weakly acidic or saline soils [33].  It is
intolerant of shallow water tables but will briefly survive periods of
soil saturation [28].  Arrowleaf balsamroot naturally grows between
1,000 and 9,000 feet (305-2,744 m) in elevation [33].  Elevational
ranges in several western states are as follows [5]:

             from 5,500 to 9,800 feet (1,677-2,988 m) in CO
                  4,500 to 7,600 feet (1,372-2,317 m) in UT
                  4,400 to 8,500 feet (1,341-2,591 m) in WY
                  3,200 to 7,000 feet (  946-2,134 m) in MT

Arrowleaf balsamroot commonly grows in mixed stands with Idaho fescue
(Festuca idahoensis), bluebunch wheatgrass, big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata), western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), Utah juniper (J.
osteosperma), and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) [33].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Arrowleaf balsamroot is a climax indicator in several sagebrush and
grassland habitat types.  It commonly grows in mixed stands with
grasses, other forbs, and shrubs [36].  Arrowleaf balsamroot also does
well after disturbances such as fire [36].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Arrowleaf balsamroot begins growth and flowers early, usually in May,
but this may vary as follows [10]:

                    Earliest          Most frequent         Latest
      State           month               month              month
 
       CO              May                 May                June
       ID              April               May                June
       MT              May                 May                June
       UT              April               May                June
       WY              May                 June               August
   
A representative phenology from the Upper Snake River plains in
southeastern Idaho is as follows [2]:

Phenological            Avg. date           Range           
  state               

Snow melt                 Mar 30             --                  
Growth starts             Apr 19             --                 
Flower stalks appear      Apr 26             24                 
First bloom               May 9              35                
Full bloom                May 25             35                
Bloom over                Jun 4              --                
Seed ripe                 Jun 14             17                 
Dissemination begins      Jun 18             --                 
Dissemination over        July 9             --                 
Plant drying              Jun 22             32                 
Plant dried               Jul 31             --                

Related categories for Species: Balsamorhiza sagittata | Arrowleaf Balsamroot