bitterroot
bitterroot Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A low-growing perennial herbaceous plant (Lewisia rediviva) of the family Montiaceae native to western North America, having a fleshy, edible taproot and showy, rose-pink to white blossoms that serve as the state flower of Montana.
"In late spring, vibrant pink bitterroots bloom across the rocky slopes of western Montana."
American A rugged mountain range of the Rocky Mountains (usually in the plural, the Bitterroots, or as the Bitterroot Range) stretching along the border of western Montana and northern Idaho in the northwestern United States.
North American The starchy, bitter-tasting taproot of the bitterroot plant, traditionally harvested, peeled, and boiled or dried for food by Indigenous peoples of the northwestern United States and western Canada.
"When peeled before the plant flowers in spring, the bitterroot becomes much milder and more palatable after boiling."
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.