Candleflame Lichen
ExploreFungi
Candleflame Lichen
candelaria concolor
The Candleflame Lichen looks like little bright orange candles on rocks! It's a fun and colorful addition to nature that helps create a healthy environment.
Habitat: Candleflame Lichen lives on rocks in sunny, dry areas.
Appearance
The Candleflame Lichen is a vibrant, crusty growth, often forming bright yellow to orange-yellow patches on surfaces. It has small, flattened, overlapping lobes that give it a distinctive wavy or scaly appearance. This cheerful color helps it stand out from duller grey or green lichens.
KingdomFungiPhylumAscomycotaClassCandelariomycetesOrderCandelarialesFamilyCandelariaceaeGenusCandelaria
Category
FungiRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
5
Interesting facts
It's a secret team of two: a fungus and a tiny alga living together as one!
Its bright color helps protect it like sunscreen from the sun's strong rays.
Lichen can grow in incredibly tough places, like on bare rock or old fences!
Some lichens are super slow growers, taking hundreds of years to get big!
Special abilities
Ability
Air Purity Sensor
Candleflame Lichen can shrink or disappear in polluted air, helping scientists measure air quality.
Ability
Solar Sugar Factory
Candleflame Lichen has tiny algae inside that use sunlight to make food for the entire lichen.
Ability
Drought Survivor
Candleflame Lichen can completely dry out during droughts and then rehydrate, continuing to grow.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 cm
- Spread
- 1-5 cm
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Wind
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Green Alga
Trebouxia decolorans
provides food through photosynthesis for the fungus.
eats
Golden Spider Beetle
Ptinus fur
larvae may graze on various dry organic matter, including lichens.
shelters
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
often grows harmlessly on the bark of many deciduous trees.
Traits
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
Candle LichenOrange Lichen
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Candleflame Lichen?
The easiest way to identify Candleflame Lichen is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How tall is Candleflame Lichen?
0.1-0.5 cm
How wide does Candleflame Lichen spread?
1-5 cm
Is Candleflame Lichen edible?
No
Is Candleflame Lichen toxic?
None
What is Candleflame Lichen's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Candleflame Lichen pollinated?
Wind
Where is Candleflame Lichen usually found?
Candleflame Lichen lives on rocks in sunny, dry areas.
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
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Recent Snaps
Jul 28, 2025
Fox Chase Farmi
Photo attribution
(c) Annie Evankow, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Jun 24, 2021
Taltree Arboretum and Gardensi
Photo attribution
(c) Tyler Bishop, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Where to spot
Park45 sightings50 species
Rhode Island, US
Blackstone Boulevard–Cole Avenue–Grotto Avenue Historic District
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly, Duck, and American Robin.
View guide →
Park43 sightings50 species
Rhode Island, US
Customhouse Historic District
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly, American Robin, and Duck.
View guide →
Park43 sightings50 species
Rhode Island, US
Downtown Providence Historic District
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly, American Robin, and Duck.
View guide →
Park46 sightings50 species
Pennsylvania, US
Fox Chase Farm
You might spot Canada Goose, American Robin, and Red-Winged Blackbird.
View guide →
Park44 sightings50 species
Rhode Island, US
India Point Park
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly, Duck, and American Robin.
View guide →
Park50 sightings50 species
New York, US
Jumel Terrace Historic District
You might spot White Snakeroot, Common Mugwort, and Eastern Gray Squirrel.
View guide →
