Redwood National and State Parks are most famous for the towering redwood trees that dot the landscape. But the forest holds many surprises beyond the tallest trees in the world. The Redwood Parks contain many wildflower varieties, oak woodlands, open prairies, beautiful rivers, and miles of ocean coastline. The area is now protected, but it has provided for Indigenous people for thousands of years.
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While hiking among the giant trees, you can expect to see a lot of wildflowers and plants that you may not be able to identify. When TikTokker Teanna was hiking in the forest, she discovered a rare plant. Unlike most plant life, the ghost plant is white or translucent. It is also known as the Indian pipe and corpse plant because of its eerie appearance. People mistake it for a mushroom at first glance.
The color, or lack of it, is because the ghost plant has no chlorophyll. They do not absorb sunlight and thrive in shaded areas. The elusive plants absorb nutrients via myco-heterotrophy by attaching to a host fungus, and the host tree fortifies both. Ghost plants are a parasitic species because they steal all their nutrients from the host tree without reciprocating. Bees help with pollination and carrying seeds to new locations.
Ghost plants only live for about seven days. They will wither and turn black quickly without their nutrient source if you pick them. Believe it or not, this Redwood forest wildflower is a member of the blueberry family! Herbalists use the plant medicinally as a pain suppressant and emotional stabilizer. It can also help with relaxation and act as a sleep aid.
If you venture into a redwood forest and see these wildflowers, please don’t harvest them.
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