The Plants of Lewis and Clark

Overview of plants still in use that were discovered by Lewis and Clark...

Sphaeralcea munroana
Item # 91940 		Sphaeralcea munroana
Munro's Globe Mallow

each $5.49
3 to 6 $5.29
7 or more $4.99
Festuca idahoensis 'Siskiyou Blue'
Item # 52375 		Festuca idahoensis 'Siskiyou Blue'
'Siskiyou Blue' Idaho Fescue Grass

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
Shepherdia argentea
Item # 91310 		Shepherdia argentea
Silver Buffalo Berry

each $7.99
3 to 6 $7.79
7 or more $7.59
  • Topic: Native Plants
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: garden renewal, history, plants discovered, species, botany
  • Date: March 2005

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Continuing with last week’s theme of garden renewal, another way to spruce up your garden and challenge your earthy skills is looking into the plants that Lewis and Clark discovered on their trek to the Pacific Northwest in 1804.

After Thomas Jefferson became president, he wanted to find a route across the continent. But he also instructed Lewis, the expedition leader, to observe and study the plant life. Jefferson wrote, “Objects worthy of notice will be: the soil and the face of the country, its growth and vegetable productions, the dates at which particular plants put forth or lose their flowers or leaf.”

William Clark was appointed as the cartographer and the group of 40 men embarked into the unknown. Today Lewis is credited with adding 176 plant species to science. They include ornamental, medicinal, edible, agricultural and other utilitarian plants.

Some species were already known to science, but Lewis’ observations extended their known range. But most were new to botanists at the time he collected them.

Plants he noted, ones we now take for granted, include the following. In parentheses are notes Lewis made, followed by today’s uses…

  • Arctostaphylos uva-ursi “Bearberry” (used in a mix for smoking) erosion control, wildlife habitat, ornamental
  • Juniperus scopulorum “Rocky Mtn. Juniper” (collected in S. Dakota) wildlife habitat, revegetation, windbreaks
  • Pinus ponderosa “Western Yellow Pine” (in rich land west of the mtns.)—timber, reforestation
  • Shepherdia argentea “Silver Buffalowberry” (a pleasant berry flavored like the cranberry)—edible landscapes, windbreaks, wildlife habitat

Lewis had a particular interest in plants; his mother was an herbalist and grew medicinal herbs and gathered wild plants. Many of his descriptions include fragrance, taste and other plants they resembled. He also noted the habitats such as moist, shaded soil or dry, sunny slopes and open meadows. He preserved clippings, seeds, bark and flowers in notebooks.

Other plants are various sages, four-o-clocks, horsetails, asters, sumac, chokecherry, primroses, globemallow, phlox, yarrow, fescue.

A good book resource is “Plants of the Lewis and Clark Expedition” by H. Wayne Phillips, Mountain Press Publishing Company, 2003.