Have You Met the Bitter Family?

Marsha A. Goetting, Ph.D., CFP, CFCS
Extension Family Economics Specialist
P.O. Box 172800
Bozeman, MT 59717-2800
phone: (406) 994-5695 fax: (406) 994-4838
E-mail: goetting@montana.eduLocation: 208C Linfield Hall
Web site

In the summer of 2009 when my husband and I were driving to a friend’s cabin for a weekend adventure in the Deerlodge National Forest we kept seeing "pink" in the pasture fields.  We were really mystified as we had made that trip many times during past years (always in June) and never saw pink flowers.  What could they be?  Once we reached public lands we stopped to take a closer look so we could discover what type of wildflowers were making a striking appearance all over the fields and growing very close to the ground.  We were ecstatic to find they were bitterroots.  Prior to this time we had only seen bitterroots in Yellowstone National Park.  This area of Southwest Montana had more than normal amounts of rainfall in the spring and early summer of that year.  That extra moisture allowed the bitterroots to make a majestic appearance  in their full bloom. 

The bitterroot is the Montana state flower. Each large flower has 12 to 16 rose or pink pointed petals.   The flowers unfold from a tubular structure held close to the ground on a short stem.  The genus name Lewisia honors Meriwether Lewis, leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition who collected a specimen of bitterroot on July 1, 1806 near Lolo in Western Montana.  Native Americans harvested the roots and boiled them for food. 

You won’t find any bitterroots at Big Sky in September during the NEAFCS 2016 Conference because the short blooming season is typically from mid-May to late June. But if you attend my preconference on September 12 entitled….Wildflower Reflections:  Families, Legacies, and Estate Planning you will meet the Bitterroot family and see how grandchildren can become "bitter" and feel unloved because of the lack of planning by their grandparents. You will also learn a variety of ways you can take care of those you love by taking appropriate measures to avoid the “bitterness” that can result from poor planning. 

Speaking of love ... if you are looking for a way to send a lasting bouquet to someone you love, consider purchasing Montana wildflower note cards as a gift.  Plus, you'll also be providing support for the NEAFCS 2016 conference. More information here.