Common Bistort
Also called pink plumes
- Iñupiaq name: Ippiq or Ippigich or Qaqauraq
- Family: Polygonaceae
- Scientific name: Polygonum bistorta
- Distinguishing characteristics: Fleshy leaves long, thick and oval-shaped, with edges slightly curled underneath. Tall flower spike on a red-green stalk with a crowded cluster of small pink flowers near the tip.
- Similar species: Common bistort is a very unique plant that doesn't have any look-alikes in the tundra. The tall, pink flower spike rising above the snow in late spring is unmistakable!
- Habitat: Wet places, snowbeds. Prefers acidic soil.
- Best time to harvest: Late spring to early summer.
- Uses: Leaves are sour and nutritious, containing vitamin C and the precursor to vitamin A. Leaves may be eaten raw in salads or preserved in seal oil. Traditionally, bistort root has been used as an astringent.
![Common Bistort](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/polygonum_bistorta1aep[1598469651].jpg)
![Common Bistort](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/polygonum_bistorta2aep[1598469651].jpg)
![Common Bistort](/cms4/asset/6F99D1CE-DBE7-F3DE-66600231C5B6FB5C/polygonum_bistorta3aep[1598469651].jpg)
Photos courtesy of the Grand Valley State University Arctic Ecology Program