Snowplants!

Sarcodes sanguinea / GeweɁmukuš (Geh-weh-mu-kush) / Snowplant / Ericaceae
Springtime holds curiosities about, perhaps none more so than this unique monotypic genus. Walking along in the forest, we are often greeted by it’s blood-red appearance (the species epithet sanguinea being in reference to this); made even more stark considering the often-limited palette which characterizes the eastern Sierra Nevada once the snow recedes. Labeled most commonly as a mycoheterotroph, the term refers to plants which highjack the mycorrhizal network utilized by conifers and fungus to exchange nutrients. In other words, a parasite. Although, we’d be hard-pressed to label anything truly parasitic; we all give back in our own ways.

Ranging in height from ~10-30cm, the plant’s entire aboveground tissue is their inflorescence, which is a raceme of numerous blueberry-like flowers wrapped in straplike, pointed bracts with fringed edges. (Calscape 2025). Each flower containsed a large white ovary and tan- to yellow-colored stamens. They have five short, unfused sepals, five petals, and ten stamens. Fruits are similarly colored, though typically a lighter pink.

While relegated to only three western states (California, Nevada and Oregon), they are not uncommon or a part of any endangered-plant lists. Their range is thought to be primarily limited by the conifers upon which they and their fungal ‘hosts’ rely. This assumed rarity is oft-discussed on message boards where it’s frequently claimed to be both illegal and to carry hefty fines when picked. While we can very clearly debunk the former; we’d still recommend leaving them in their place.