Our state flower is the bitterroot. The push to make the bitterroot so was first championed by the Montana Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1891. A statewide vote by interested parties in 1894 saw the bitterroot flower handily win endorsement. The bitterroot flower received 3,621 votes, evening primrose tallied 787 votes, and the wild rose garnered 668 votes. The following year, Montana state legislators made the selection official.
A perfect choice, in my
estimation.
Bitterroots are incredibly
hardy. They will (literally) grow in a
pile of rocks. When in bloom, they light
up as if electrified. When not in bloom,
they hide in plain sight. This time of
year, they emerge from the soil looking like sea anemones with fat, stubby
tendrils. The plants are small and low
to the ground. Generally, the collection
of tendrils is no more than three or so inches across. By the time the plants bloom (May-June) the
tendrils have mostly shriveled away.
After their showy display of flowers, the bitterroots disappear back
into the earth and quietly wait for the next spring.
Where I live, they are gone by
mid-July.
Yesterday, I found a collection of bitterroot plants on the hill just below my house.
Bitterroot Today
Bitterroot in Bloom (June)
— Mitchell Hegman
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