In Lassen National Forest
Lassen National Forest in June
While hiking through the shady conifer forests, you might spot a bright flash of scarlet red on the ground, looking somewhat out of place as it pokes up out of the dull brown pine needles on the forest floor. Closer inspection will tell you that this does not look like a typical wildflower. This fleshy plant with scale-like leaves and pendant flowers is difficult to confuse with other plants not only in looks, but also in behavior. The snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) whose scientific name translates roughly to “the bloody flesh-like thing” lacks chlorophyll, and, unlike most plants, does not photosynthesize. Instead, the snow plant derives nutrition by latching onto fungi beneath the soil which have formed a symbiotic relationship with conifers. The fungi and conifers exchange water, minerals, and the products of photosynthesis between each other, and by latching onto the fungi as a parasite, the snow plant can take advantage of the photosynthetic work of the conifers without needing any chlorophyll of its own. Because of this arrangement, the snow plant can bloom earlier than other wildflowers, and is often seen poking out of the snow as early as April, giving the plant its common name. This early bloomer is essential for pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, as not much else is blooming in the early spring months that would sustain their populations. There are many different ways for plants to adapt to their environments, and though this parasitic flower is often characterized as a freeloader, its presence in the park contributes to the diversity of the forest and the health of the species that rely on it to get through lean months before the snow melts away. (From Yosemite National Park Facebook page) The snow plant typically blooms between 4,000 to 9,000 ft in elevation from April through July, though our late winter storms and heavy snowpack this year could mean an extension of their average season in the higher elevations.
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