The dry hillsides of the rolling Boise Front Range, exploded into color this week. The Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) are flowering in profusion, especially at the lower elevations on south facing slopes. Balsamroot are also known by the common name of Mules Ear, which is a reference to the arrow shaped leaves that get up to 6 inches long, and are covered with a dense mat of silver-gray hairs. These plants get up to 2 feet tall and the flowers are as large as 4 inches across, making for a very showy array on the mountain sides. They usually start to flower in late April, so they are very much on schedule this year, even though we have had a very dry spring. Bighorn sheep sheep are lambing at the same time as the Mules Ear is flowering. The tender sprouts, large roots and seeds are edible and were harvested by American Indians. The flowers and sprouts are also a favorite food of elk, deer and bighorn sheep. Once I see the Balsamroot in flower I know the hotter weather of summer will soon follow, even though snow is still a possibility. The fickle days of spring in the Rockies.
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