# Orange Rock Hair (*Trentepohlia aurea*)

Orange Rock Hair is a bright orange fungus that grows on rocks and trees. It looks like fuzzy hair and can be found in many places, especially in warm and humid areas.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Tropical rainforests

![Orange Rock Hair](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Luftalge_Trentepohlia_aurea_OhWeh-003.jpg&width=800)

Photo: OhWeh, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luftalge_Trentepohlia_aurea_OhWeh-003.jpg)

## Appearance

The Orange Rock Hair is a vibrant, fuzzy-looking alga that forms bright orange-red mats or patches. Its intense color, due to carotenoid pigments, makes it stand out on rocks and tree bark, looking almost like a rusty stain.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Chlorophyta
- **Class:** Ulvophyceae
- **Order:** Trentepohliales
- **Family:** Trentepohliaceae
- **Genus:** Trentepohlia

## Interesting facts

- It can survive in extremely dry places, just waiting for the next rain shower.
- Its intense orange color comes from the same pigments found in carrots!
- Orange Rock Hair often grows on tree bark, making the trees look fuzzy and colorful!
- Wow, this "plant" is actually an ALGA, more like pond scum than a tree!

## Special abilities

- **Sun Shield:** Orange Rock Hair has special orange pigments called carotenoids that act like sunscreen, protecting it from intense sunlight.
- **Rock Grip:** This alga has strong holdfasts that allow it to cling tightly to rough surfaces like rocks and bark, preventing it from being washed away.
- **Drought Master:** Orange Rock Hair can dry out and enter a dormant state, then rehydrate and resume growth when water returns.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 0.1-0.5 cm
- **Spread:** 1-20 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Common Orange Lichen (*Xanthoria parietina*) — Its algal partner in this bright lichen.
- **Symbiotic with:** Monk's-hood Lichen (*Hypogymnia physodes*) — Provides food for this leafy lichen species.
- **Symbiotic with:** Wall Cartwheel Lichen (*Lecanora muralis*) — Algal component of this widespread lichen.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Mycorrhizal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mycorrhizal): This trait describes a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a plant, benefiting both organisms.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rainforest): This habitat trait refers to species found in tropical rainforests, characterized by high annual rainfall, high biodiversity, and dense tree cover.
- [Glowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/glowing): Pertaining to organisms that emit light through bioluminescence or fluorescence.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Do not touch or eat wild fungi without asking an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Orange Rock Hair?

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 Orange Rock Hair?

0.1-0.5 cm

### How wide does Orange Rock Hair spread?

1-20 cm

### Is Orange Rock Hair edible?

No

### Is Orange Rock Hair toxic?

None

### What is Orange Rock Hair's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is Orange Rock Hair usually found?

Tropical rainforests

## Where to spot

- [Sabine Channel Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sabine-channel-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park
- [Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/panaewa-rainforest-zoo) — Hawaii, US · Zoo

## 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*)

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Source: [Orange Rock Hair: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-rock-hair)