Porter's Licorice-Root: Family: Apiaceae (Parsley Family) Ligusticum porteri Home   Plant Index   Photo Details & Description       Utah Range Map

Photo Details July 26, 2005 - Cedar Breaks, Iron County, Utah - ©Nicky Davis Characteristics: Size: 2 to 3 feet tall with 3 to 6 foot tall hollow flower stalks. Flowers:  umbrels of tiny white flowers .  Leaves:  are pinnately compound. Odor: a spicy celery odor.  It  looks much like the deadly Poison Hemlock. Other syn.  Osha, Southern Ligusticum, Loveroot, Lovage, Chuchupate, Licorice Root,  Wild Parsley, Porter's Lovage, Porter's Ligusticum Osha reportedly means bear in some Native American languages and refers to the observation that  bears eat this plant as medicine.  The bear is sacred and  so they prized this plant  as a sacred healing plant  using it to treat  respiratory disorders especialy a raspy cough, stomachache, fevers and heartburn.  The plant  induces menses. Back to Top