A cluster of snow plants growing in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, June 2015

 Bob was returning from a trip to McCloud in northern California when he decided to drive home through Lassen Volcanic National Park.  This was in June, which is still kind of early in the season for wildflowers in this park.  During his drive, he saw this cluster of snow plants near the park road.

Snow plant is a parasitic plant, meaning that it grows off of nutrients that fungi attached to the roots of pine trees make available to it, rather than photosynthesizing.  This is why the plant has no green chlorophyll in it.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Snow plant in bloom in the Sierra, south of Yosemite

The snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea), grows throughout the Sierra Nevada and into the Cascade mountain ranges. Unlike other flowering plants, it grows from digested organic material in the soil, similar to a mushroom, and doesn't make its own food as green plants do. The flowers can emerge while there is still snow on the ground, thus the common name. The species name, sanguinea, refers to its blood-red color. It's in the heath family, which includes cranberries and blueberries, but it is not edible.

These snow plants were blooming south of Yosemite National Park in the Sierra National Forest. We were out looking for plants in the spring of 2013 and found these excellent specimens.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!