Lomatium dissectum

Common Names

Fernleaf Biscuitroot, Fern-Leaved Desert Parsley, Chocolate Tips, Wild Carrot, Biscuitroot, Giant Lomatium, Lace-Leaved Leptotaenia, Desert Parsley, Carrotleaf

Summary

fernleaf biscuitroot is a tall, long‑lived perennial in the Apiaceae with a thick woody taproot and finely dissected, fernlike leaves; it bears large flat-topped umbels of small yellow to purple flowers on 10–30 rays, and two-seeded fruits with corky lateral wings; native to western North America from British Columbia to New Mexico and east to Wyoming and Colorado, it grows in dry, rocky, well-drained soils across grasslands, sagebrush steppe, and mountain meadows and is drought-tolerant once established; growth begins in early spring and blooms in early summer, reaching about 1.5 m in height.

in cultivation, it prefers full sun to partial shade in dry, rocky, well-drained soils and is suited to native, pollinator, cottage, wildflower, and naturalized landscapes; propagation is by seed requiring extended cold stratification for germination, with irrigation boosting seed yield; two varieties exist (dissectum and multifidum); pests include beetles, moths, midges, leaf miner flies, aphids, and rust; seed pods should be removed if self-seeding is undesired; edible roots and seeds have traditional uses, and medicinal uses were widely employed by Indigenous peoples.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-5 feet

Spread

1-2 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun or partial shade.

Soil Type

No single ideal soil; adaptable to many soil types, including well-drained soils and dry, rocky soils.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

6.5-7.5

Bloom Color

Yellow, Purple

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Bright green, lime-green, green to slightly blue-green, glaucous

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow-growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds