Tahoe Travel 101: What is a Snow Plant at Lake Tahoe?

June 10, 1:39 PMSF Lake Tahoe Travel ExaminerElizabeth Sedway

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by: Elizabeth Sedway, TahoeKidsGuide.com

Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguinea)

The Snow Plant, unlike other plants, does not benefit from photosynthesis.  Instead it derives life from underground fungi associated with adjacent pine trees. Because of this dependence on fungi and not sunlight, the entire aboveground section of the plant is bright red. Snow plant is equally spectacular when it's blooming, as seen in these pictures, or when it has just poked above the soil.

Habitat:  Humus-rich, shady areas from 4,000 - 9,000 feet. Found primarily in western states.

Size: The tube-shaped flowers are less than an inch in diameter. The plant ranges from 6 - 12 inches tall.

Flowering Season:  May - July

This Photo:  Taken at D.L. Bliss State Park on May 31, 2009.
 

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