Fuschia colored Lewisia

First of all...wow and THANK YOU so much for sending yesterday's image to the Spotlight Page. That doesn't happen very often for me and I was thrilled that so many people saw and loved that image as much as we did. Auntie, Bill and I all knew that was going to be a fun image. Thanks for the comments and the stars and hearts. I really do appreciate it.

So, today I went by the only camera store in Vancouver and had them replace the mirror in the camera as it was so dirty! They had ordered the part for me. I guess it's the mirror....When I looked in the view finder I could see the view and a lot of crud. So, now...no crud. Yay. Life's little victories. Then I went to the big garden nursery that is only blocks away from the camera place and wandered in to gaze at the early spring flowers that they were getting in. This is a deep pink Lewisia Cotyledon and I've blipped them before at some time or another. I chose it because it is a native plant. I was pondering buying some for the front garden, but I'm not sure how long it blooms. I would like a long blooming plant for the place that I am thinking about putting them. I'll have to ask Bill to ask his people where he is working now, as the gal I asked was new and from California and didn't know about these plants.

I did learn something new from this blip, as I didn't know this was called bitterroot and didn't know the Bitterroot Mountains were named after them. And I didn't know they were edible. Not that I will eat them, but the info is interesting.

Lewisia is a plant genus, named for Meriwether Lewis who encountered the species in 1806. The native habitat of Lewisia species is north facing cliffs in the western part of North America. Local Native Americans ate the roots, which have also been used to treat sore throats.

Meriwether Lewis is credited with the first discovery by a European or American of Lewisia, which was known to the local Native Americans as bitterroot. Lewis discovered the specimen in 1806 at Lolo Creek, in the mountain range that became known as the Bitterroot Mountains. The plant was given its scientific name, Lewisia rediviva, by Frederick Traugott Pursh.

All species of Lewisia are edible. Lewisia rediviva has a large edible root and as a result became a food source for local Native Americans. The root is peeled before boiling or steaming; cooking the root reduces its bitterness.

L. rediviva has also been used for medicinal purposes; chewing the root was used to relieve a sore throat. It has also been used to promote milk flow during lactation.
For gardening, Lewisia species are usually planted in rockeries because this mimics their natural habitat. Rockeries also provide the free drainage that Lewisias need to prevent their roots rotting. They may also be planted in pots, though they need to be well drained and protected from sustained wet weather.