Yampah
Perideridia oregana
root
⚠️ Toxic look-alike
Never eat this plant unless you are certain it is not its toxic look-alike.
Water hemlock, one of the deadliest plants in North America, grows in the same damp meadows and looks like it: only dig it up when identified with certainty.
If in the slightest doubt, leave it. If you feel unwell after eating it, even several hours later, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or 911.
Small roots tasting of carrot and hazelnut, raw or dried and ground into flour by Indigenous peoples.
- Origin
- Western United States (Oregon, California)
- Where to find it
- In damp meadows and along streams in the West.
- Season (United States)
- June to August · grows in your region
- Preparation
- The roots are washed and peeled, then eaten raw or cooked for about fifteen minutes.
- Molecules
- In small amounts, not counted Falcarinol · Insoluble fibers
- Did you know?
- The Yampa River, in Colorado, bears the Shoshone name for these roots.