Geez Louise! Lewisia: A Native Perennial’s Surprising Backstory
Posted by John Friel on Jul 22nd 2022
In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson bought some real estate from France. The Louisiana Purchase involved a staggering 828,000 square miles – over half a billion acres, give or take.But nobody really knew what he had bought. Zillow was no help. So Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to do a two-year walk-through.Among the many marvels they found was a succulent-leaved perennial called “bitter root” by natives. A river and a mountain range bear that name still. The newcomer was named