Family: Asteraceae, Aster view all from this family

Description An almost leafless stalk with 1 large bright yellow flower head at tip grows from a basal cluster of large silvery-gray leaves covered with felt-like hairs.
Flowers: heads 4-5" (10-12.5 cm) wide, with densely woolly bracts, 8-25 rays, each 1-1 1/2" (2.5-3.8 cm) long, and many disk flowers, each enfolded by a parchment-like scale.
Leaves: blades to 1' (30 cm) long, on petioles about the same length.
Fruit: seed-like, no hairs or scales at tip.
Height: 8-32" (20-80 cm).

Flower May-July.

Habitat Open hillsides and flats in grasslands, sagebrush, or open pine forest.

Range From British Columbia south through the Sierra Nevada of California; east to western Montana, western South Dakota, and Colorado.

Discussion Indians prepared medicine from the roots. The very similar Deltoid Balsam Root (B. deltoidea), found in open places in California, western Oregon, and Washington, is only sparsely hairy, is much greener, and drops its rays soon after flowering. Several species of Balsamorhiza have pinnately divided leaves.