Columbia Desert Parsley, Columbia Gorge Desert-parsley, Columbia Lomatium, Purple Leptotaenia, Purple Lomatium: Lomatium columbianum (Synonym: Leptotaenia purpurea)

Columbia desert parsley is a very attractive perennial wildflower with one to several stout, erect stems arising from 30-60 cm high from a thick, woody taproot. The stems are generally leafless, although a single stem leaf may be possible. The herbage is glabrous and strongly glaucous (blue-gray). The leaves are ternate-pinnately dissected into narrow linear segments from 6-15 mm long and about 1 mm wide. Individual leaves are 15-30 cm long with strong petioles. The flowering stems are hollow and 50-100 cm long.

The inflorescence is an umbel with 10-20 rays, each from 10-12 cm long at maturity and generally all roughly equal in length. The petals are a deep reddish purple, or occasionally may be yellow. Numerous narrow bracts are found beneath each umbelet. The glabrous fruits are elliptic to oblong in shape with thick wings less than half as wide as the body. The fruits are 16-28 mm long, 8-15 mm wide, and found atop pedicels from 1-2 cm long. Columbia desert parsley typically begins to bloom immediately as it emerges from the ground, and then sporadically for up to 6 weeks later.

It is possible to grow Columbia desert parsley on the west side of the Cascade Mts. I have 2 plants, one of which has flowered for 3 years and is growing in size. Plants can be placed in the middle or back of a raised bed (I use a mix of composted soil and gritty sand with moderate sized rocks place around the crown.) with sufficient room for growth (plants can be up to one meter in diameter). These beds are covered with sheet plastic draped over PVC pipe for 2-3 months during the winter. The leaves can suffer from mold late in the season, especially during wet years.

The photo above shows a close-up of the narrow bractlets of the involucels which are widest at their base and taper gradually to their tips. Photographed about one-half mile north of Chenoweth Creek along the old highway to the west of The Dalles, OR...........February 12, 2006.

Columbia desert parsley may be found in the Columbia River Gorge in Klickitat County in Washington and Hood River and Wasco counties in Oregon, and then north to Yakima County in Washington and perhaps sporadically in the foothills of the Blue Mts. in southeastern Washington.

The two photos above show close-up views of the large fruits of Columbia desert parsley as seen in the upper Klickitat River Canyon near Summit Creek.........June 22, 2008.

Columbia desert parsley as seen on steep rocky slopes above the Klickitat River at the Klickitat Breaks, Soda Springs Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area.........March 31, 2021.

Seed head of Columbia Desert Parsley, Columbia Gorge Desert-parsley, Columbia Lomatium, Purple Leptotaenia, Purple Lomatium: Lomatium columbianum (Synonym: Leptotaenia purpurea)

The photo above shows the umbel and large fruits of Columbia desert parsley as seen along Major Creek, Columbia River Gorge............May 13, 2000.

Columbia desert parsley beginning to bloom below the east rim of Canyon Creek, Soda Springs Unit, Klickitat Wildlife Area......March 31, 2019 (left) and March 12, 2020 (right).

The photo above shows the newly blooming Columbia desert parsley as seen on cliffs above the South Fork Cowiche Creek at the Snow Mt. Ranch to the west of Yakima, WA........March, 23, 2008.

The photo above shows Columbia desert parsley as seen high on slopes above the middle Klickitat River along Washington Highway 142.........late March 2008.