# Pacific coralroot (*Corallorhiza mertensiana*) Pacific coralroot is a special plant that grows in shady, moist places. It doesn't have green leaves because it gets its food from fungi in the ground, making it very unique! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Pacific coralroot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Corallorhizamertensiana.jpg&width=800) Photo: RG Johnsson, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corallorhizamertensiana.jpg) ## Appearance The Pacific coralroot has striking reddish-purple stems that emerge directly from the forest floor, lacking any green leaves. Its small, intricate flowers are usually reddish, often streaked with white or yellow, appearing in a loose cluster along the upper stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Orchidaceae - **Genus:** Corallorhiza ## Interesting facts - Even though it's an orchid, it's one of the few that never makes its own food from the sun. - It got its name because its roots look like coral at the bottom of the sea! - Its tiny seeds are so small, over a million could fit in a thimble! - This plant can live for many years entirely underground before ever blooming into a flower! ## Special abilities - **Ghostly Appearance:** This orchid has no green leaves, which helps it camouflage in dark forest undergrowth and saves energy by not needing to photosynthesize. - **Dust Seed Power:** Pacific coralroot has super tiny, dust-like seeds that are carried far and wide by the wind, helping it spread to new forest spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** [Western Hemlock](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-hemlock) (*Tsuga heterophylla*) — Pacific coralroot depends on this tree for nutrients, transferred via fungi. - **Depends on:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Pacific coralroot also depends on this tree for nutrients, using shared fungal networks. - **Pollinates:** Yellow-faced Bumblebee (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — This bumblebee pollinates Pacific coralroot by visiting its small, reddish flowers. - **Pollinates:** Vinegar Fly (*Drosophila busckii*) — This fly pollinates Pacific coralroot, attracted to the plant's unique floral scent. ## Traits - [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. - [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [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. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Parasitic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/parasitic): This trait describes organisms that live on or in a host organism, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants in the wild, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pacific coralroot? 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 Pacific coralroot? 20-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Pacific coralroot? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Pacific coralroot bloom? Late spring to late summer ### Is Pacific coralroot edible? No ### Is Pacific coralroot toxic? None ### What is Pacific coralroot's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Pacific coralroot pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Valhalla Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/valhalla-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Waikiki Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/waikiki-aquarium) — Hawaii, US · Zoo - [Glines Canyon Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glines-canyon-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mendocino-coast-botanical-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Pacific coralroot](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pacific-coralroot) ## 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: [Pacific coralroot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-coralroot)