Grow arrowleaf balsamroot in full sun, on soil that drains. Arrowleaf balsamroot is Balsamorhiza. A garden sunflower is a different plant.
Give it full sun and soil that drains — and skip extra water once it is rooted
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun; a little afternoon shade is fine | Do not plant it in deep shade |
| Soil | Deep soil that drains — sandy, gravelly, or a well-drained loam | Do not plant it in a soggy low spot |
| Water | Water until the taproot takes, then skip extra water except in a long drought | Do not keep the crown wet, and do not treat it as a thirsty sunflower |
| Site | An open dry slope, meadow, or prairie bed | Do not keep it in a patio pot as a long-term plant |
| Drought | Missed waterings once the taproot is down | Do not water it on a weekly calendar after it is established |
arrowleaf balsamroot is a long-lived western perennial with a woody taproot, a tuft of silvery arrow-shaped leaves, and one yellow head on a mostly leafless stem. Give it full sun and soil that drains. Once the taproot is down, skip extra water except in a long dry spell. Wet ground around the crown is the usual cause of rot. [1]
How much sun does arrowleaf balsamroot need?
Full sun. A little afternoon shade is fine. Deep shade makes a weak, floppy clump that rarely blooms well.
How often should I water it?
Water until the taproot takes. After that, skip extra water except in a long drought. Do not keep the crown soggy.
Sow in fall, barely covered
Start from seed. A mature plant takes poorly to moving because the taproot is deep and woody, so do not lift a clump from a hillside and expect it to reset. Sow outdoors in late fall so winter cold and moisture break dormancy, and cover the seed only about a quarter to a half inch. [2]
- Sow outdoors in late fall, in full sun, on soil that drains.
- Cover the seed about a quarter to a half inch. Do not bury it deep.
- If you start in a pot, sow in late fall or early winter in a deep, narrow pot, set it outside, and water only in a long dry spell. [3]
- If you missed fall, give the seed eight to twelve weeks of cold, moist chill near freezing, then keep the seedlings cool. Warm indoor heat can kill them. [4]
- Expect slow top growth. The taproot grows first. Bloom can take a few years.
Plant a small plug without bending the taproot
If you bought a young plug, plant it while the root still has room in the pot. Keep the taproot straight in a hole deep enough that it does not fold. Water until it takes, then ease off. Leave a mature plant in place.
- Plant a young plug in spring, in full sun, on soil that drains.
- Dig a hole deep enough for the taproot to sit straight. Do not fold it in a shallow hole.
- Set the crown at soil level and backfill.
- Water until the planting takes, then skip extra water except in a long drought.
- Do not lift a mature plant. It rarely resets after that move.
When do I sow the seed?
Late fall, barely covered, so winter can chill the seed. If you start in a pot, keep it outside. Warm indoor heat can kill the seedlings.
Can I move a mature plant?
No. The taproot is deep and woody. Sow seed, or plant a small plug before the root fills the pot.
Not mule's ears — and not a garden sunflower or garden balsam
Mule's ears is Wyethia. It has long oval leaves, often more than one yellow head on a stem, and it usually blooms a little later. Arrowleaf balsamroot has triangular, arrow-shaped leaves and usually one head on a leafless stalk. Do not buy mule's ears as this plant.
Garden sunflowers are Helianthus — see How to Grow Sunflowers if the tag is Helianthus. Garden balsam is Impatiens — see How to Grow Impatiens if the tag says balsam and the plant is a tender bedding annual.
Arrowleaf elephant ear is Colocasia, a wet-soil leaf plant — see How to Grow Colocasia if the leaves are huge and the soil stays wet. Balsam fir is a conifer — see How to Grow Fir if the tag is Abies. Oregon sunflower is another name for this balsamroot, not Oregon grape. See How to Grow Oregon Grape if the tag is Mahonia.
Is this a garden sunflower?
No. Garden sunflowers are Helianthus. Arrowleaf balsamroot is Balsamorhiza, a western perennial with a woody taproot.
Is mule's ears the same plant?
No. Mule's ears is Wyethia. It has long oval leaves and often more than one flower on a stem.
Sow the next packet in fall on soil that drains, or set a small plug with the taproot straight, then skip extra water once it is rooted.
FAQ
Can I grow it in a pot?
Only as a young plug in a deep pot, and only until you can plant it out. It is not a patio plant or a windowsill houseplant.
Do I prune it?
There is no wood to train. Cut spent flower stalks if you want a tidier clump. Leave the leaves until they die back on their own.
Is Carey's balsamroot a different kind we sell?
We hold arrowleaf balsamroot. Carey's, Hooker's, and deltoid balsamroot are other wild names you may see. They want the same sun and soil that drains.
Does it come back after the leaves die?
Yes. The top dies back after bloom. New leaves come from the woody taproot the next spring.
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Utah State University Extension -
https://extension.usu.edu/rangeplants/forbs-herbaceous/arrowleaf-balsamroot - [2] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=BASA3 - [3] Native Plant Network -
https://rngr.net/renderNPNProtocolDetails?selectedProtocolIds=asteraceae-balsamorhiza-2170 - [4] University of Washington -
https://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/balsamorhiza_sagittata.htm
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors