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Lomatium utriculatum (Spring Gold Biscuitroot)
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© billtweit, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC) · iNaturalist
Perennial

Lomatium utriculatum

Spring Gold Biscuitroot

ApiaceaePacific Northwest and California

At a Glance

TypePerennial
HabitClumping
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-16 inches (10-40 cm)
Width8-12 inches (20-30 cm)
Maturity4 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

5 - 9
Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
What's my zone? →
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought Tolerant
Native to North America
Maintenancevery low

Overview

Lomatium utriculatum is a herbaceous perennial in the carrot family (Apiaceae), reaching 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) tall and 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) wide from a deep woody taproot. Leaves basal and stem-borne, finely dissected into thread-like segments 0.04-0.1 inch (1-3 mm) wide, dull blue-green with a short bristle on each lobe tip. Flowers bright yellow in compound umbels 1.5-3 inches (4-7.5 cm) across, with 7-15 unequal rays bearing dense clusters of small flowers; bloom from late February through May. Fruit a flattened oblong schizocarp 0.3-0.5 inch (8-13 mm) long with thickened lateral wings. Foliage emerges in late winter and dies back completely by early summer; plants are dormant from June through October. Taproot reaches 12-30 inches (30-75 cm) deep and resists transplanting; container stock requires deep tubes and establishes only when roots are undisturbed.

Native Range

Native to grasslands, oak woodlands, rocky balds, and coastal bluffs in western North America from southern British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to southern California, generally west of the Cascade-Sierra crest at elevations from sea level to 5,500 feet (1,675 m).

Suggested Uses

Used in restoration plantings, dry meadow gardens, and rock gardens at 8-12 inch (20-30 cm) spacing in zones 5-9. Planted with native bunchgrasses such as Festuca roemeri and other early-blooming meadow species. Containers require deep narrow pots (tree tubes 18-24 inches / 45-60 cm deep) for the taproot; plants in shallow conventional containers fail within 2-3 years.

How to Identify

Distinguished from other yellow-flowered Lomatium species by smaller compound umbels with 7-15 unequal rays (versus 5-30 nearly equal rays in L. nudicaule) and finely dissected leaves with bristle-tipped segments. Fruit wings are 0.06-0.1 inch (1.5-2.5 mm) wide and as broad as the seed body, which separates this species from L. dissectum (wider wings) and L. triternatum (linear leaf segments without bristles).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green
blue

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks
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Spring
Late February through May across most of the species range, with peak bloom from mid-March through April. Bloom timing tracks soil temperature; cool wet springs delay onset by 2-3 weeks. Individual umbels open over 2-3 weeks; total stand bloom lasts 6-8 weeks. Plants flower in their third or fourth year from seed.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Dull blue-green, finely dissected

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)
357912
Soil Types
loamsandrocky
Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-4 years to first bloom

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Establishes from direct-sown seed in fall, with seedlings appearing in late winter; container transplants suffer high mortality due to taproot disturbance. Mature plants require no supplemental water in summer once dormant and rot in irrigated garden beds. Tolerates winter saturation in shallow soils over rock but does not survive in heavy clay that stays wet through summer. Foliage persists 4-6 months from emergence to dormancy. No common pest or disease problems occur in established plantings. Plants are long-lived (15-25 years) but cannot be moved once established.

Pruning

No pruning is required or beneficial. Dead foliage is left in place to reabsorb nutrients into the taproot and breaks down naturally during summer dormancy. Spent umbels can be removed before seed set if reseeding is not desired in the garden.

Maintenance Level

very low

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic