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Cutleaf balsamroot facts for kids

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Cutleaf balsamroot
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Scientific classification
Synonyms
  • Balsamorhiza macrophylla var. idahoensis W.M.Sharp
  • Balsamorhiza hookeri Nuttall var. idahoensis (W.M.Sharp) Cronquist

The cutleaf balsamroot (scientific name: Balsamorhiza macrophylla) is a plant from North America. It belongs to the aster family, which is a large group of flowering plants. This family also includes sunflowers!

You can find this plant growing naturally in the northwestern United States. It lives in states like Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Oregon.

About the Cutleaf Balsamroot

The cutleaf balsamroot is a type of herb. This means it's a plant that doesn't have a woody stem like a tree or a bush. It can grow quite tall, up to 100 centimeters (about 40 inches).

What it Looks Like

This plant has bright yellow flowers. These flowers are usually found one at a time on each stem. What looks like one big flower is actually a "flower head." This head is made up of many tiny flowers.

It has two kinds of tiny flowers:

  • Ray florets: These are the petal-like parts around the edge.
  • Disc florets: These are the small, packed flowers in the center.

Where it Grows

The cutleaf balsamroot likes to grow in specific places. You can often find it in areas called sagebrush scrublands. These are dry areas with many sagebrush plants. It also grows in conifer forests, which are forests with trees like pines and firs.

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