Apiaceae (Lomatium)
Lomatium (triternatum)
Apiaceae
Carrot family
Lomatium
triternatum
(Pursh) Coulter & Rose
Nineleaf biscuitroot
LOTR2
Intermountain West
Nineleaf biscuit is native to western North America, occurring from northeastern California to British Columbia and east to Alberta and Colorado.
seeds
seed
Propagules (seeds, cuttings, poles, etc.)
4 Years
Field produced seed with >95% purity.
Seed matures in July or August. Wildland seed is easily hand collected. The seed disarticulates readily from the stems, and very clean, small collections can be made by shaking ripened inflorescences over a bag or tarp.
Minor screening to remove sticks provides excellent purity. Additional cleaning can be done with a small air-screen cleaner. There are approximately 42,000 seeds/lb (Monsen and others 2004).
Nineleaf biscuitroot requires an extensive stratification period for germination. Fall-dormant seeding is required for field plantings.
Seed can be sown in rows at 82 pure live seeds (PLS)/m (25 PLS/ft) or into weed barrier fabric at 40 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) spacing. All seeding should be completed as dormant fall seeding to allow natural stratification to occur.
Above ground growth is slow as the plants expend energy developing a substantial taproot. Plants grow in early spring and go dormant in mid-summer, giving the appearance of mortality. In the first year, most plants will only produce a few leaves.
1 yr
Most plants will not produce flowers or fruit during the first 2 to 3 years of growth. Seed production fields at Aberdeen, Idaho did not produce flowers or seed until the fourth year of establishment. Good weed control can be achieved through the use of weed barrier fabric and hand roguing. Because nineleaf biscuitroot enters dormancy in early summer, foliar herbicide applications of glyphosate to surrounding weeds are possible after senescence. In preliminary herbicide tolerance trials, seed yields were reduced by early spring bromoxynil applications (Shock and others 2010b). Highest seed yields have been achieved with the use of supplemental irrigation. Shock and others (2010) showed a significant positive response to irrigation with 10 cm (4 in) additional water at Ontario, Oregon. Ontario has a mean annual precipitation of 24 cm (9.5 in), bringing the total received water to approximately 36 cm (14 in) for optimum seed production.
Seed can be harvested in production fields via a vacuum type harvester or flail vac. Seed is cleaned using an air screen cleaner. Purities approximating 100% are achievable with minimal effort.
Seed viability in proper storage conditions remains high for 3 to 4 years (Monsen and others 2004).
Baskin, Carol C, and J.M. Baskin. 2001. Seeds: Ecology Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. School of Biological Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. Academic Press. p. 418. Stevens, R., and S.B. Monsen. 2004. Forbs for seeding range and wildlife habitats. In: S.B. Monsen, R. Stevens, and N.L. Shaw [compilers]. Restoring western ranges and wildlands. Fort Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-136-vol-2. p. 425-466. Shock, CC, Feibert E, Saunders L, Shaw N. 2010. Native wildflower seed production with limited subsurface drip irrigation. Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, 2009 Annual Report: 193-209. Shock CC, Ishida J, Feibert EBG, Shaw N. 2010. Native perennial forb tolerance to repeated annual applications of postemergence herbicides. Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station, 2009 Annual Report:213-217. Tilley D., St. John L. Ogle D., Shaw N, Cane J. 2010. Plant guide for fernleaf biscuitroot (Lomatium triternatum). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Idaho Plant Materials Center. Aberdeen, ID
Ogle, Dan; Shaw, Nancy; Cane, Jim; St. John, Loren; Tilley, Derek. 2012. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cuttings, poles, etc.) Lomatium triternatum (Pursh) Coulter & Rose seeds USDA NRCS - Aberdeen Plant Materials Center Aberdeen, Idaho. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/06/26). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.