# Elephant's-Head lousewort (*Pedicularis groenlandica*) Elephant's-Head lousewort is a unique plant with flowers that look like little elephant heads! It grows in cool, wet places and is a favorite for bees and butterflies. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wet meadows ![Elephant's-Head lousewort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pedicularis_groenlandica_9839.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pedicularis_groenlandica_9839.JPG) ## Appearance The Elephant's-Head lousewort has striking magenta to pink flowers that uniquely resemble tiny elephant heads with prominent 'ears' and 'trunks'. Its lush green foliage often forms a dense cluster beneath these whimsical blooms, standing out in wet meadows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Orobanchaceae - **Genus:** Pedicularis ## Interesting facts - Indigenous communities traditionally used this plant for its unique medicinal properties! - Its funny name 'lousewort' comes from an old mistaken belief it caused lice in grazing livestock! - The vibrant pink flowers look \*exactly\* like tiny elephant heads, complete with floppy ears and a trunk! - This mountain flower often blooms in breathtaking, dense pink carpets across high-altitude meadows! ## Special abilities - **Nutrient Thief Power:** Elephant's-Head lousewort can tap into other plants' roots, stealing water and nutrients to thrive even in poorer soils! - **Bumblebee Beacon:** Its unique flower shape and bright color perfectly guide bumblebees to its nectar, ensuring successful pollination. - **Wet Feet Resilience:** This plant thrives in marshy bogs and wet meadows, with roots adapted to handle constantly saturated, cold soils. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** Water Sedge (*Carex aquatilis*) — taps roots for water and nutrients - **Pollinates:** Giant Bumblebee (*Bombus appositus*) — provides nectar, transfers pollen - **Pollinates:** Two-Form Bumblebee (*Bombus bifarius*) — attracts with unique flower shape ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Elephant's-Head lousewort? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Elephant's-Head lousewort? 10-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Elephant's-Head lousewort? 1-2 cm ### When does Elephant's-Head lousewort bloom? Summer ### Is Elephant's-Head lousewort edible? No ### Is Elephant's-Head lousewort toxic? Mild ### What is Elephant's-Head lousewort's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Elephant's-Head lousewort pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Independence](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/independence) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [Holzwarth Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/holzwarth-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Paradise Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paradise-historic-district) — Washington, US · Historic District - [Silverton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silverton-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-d-rockefeller-jr-memorial-parkway) — Wyoming, US · Park [View all places to see Elephant's-Head lousewort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/elephants-head-lousewort) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Elephant's-Head lousewort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elephants-head-lousewort)