sugarstick
ExplorePlants
sugarstick
Allotropa virgata
The sugarstick is a special plant that grows in cool, shady forests. It has long, thin stems and can be found in places where the air is fresh and clean.
Habitat: Forests
Appearance
The sugarstick is a striking plant, featuring an unbranched stem striped with alternating bands of creamy white and deep reddish-brown. It lacks green leaves, instead displaying small, bell-shaped white and pink flowers clustered near the top of the stalk.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderEricalesFamilyEricaceaeGenusAllotropa
Category
PlantsRarity
Rare
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
4
Interesting facts
It's like a plant vampire, sucking nutrients from fungi instead of sunlight!
It's often called 'candy cane plant' due to its bright red and white stripes!
This plant has no green parts because it doesn't do photosynthesis!
You'll only see it for a short time each year, popping up after spring rains!
Special abilities
Ability
Fungal Feeder
Sugarstick can 'steal' all its nutrients from underground fungi, so it doesn't need sunlight like most green plants.
Ability
Hidden Helper
Sugarstick has a special underground connection to pine trees through a fungus, helping it grow in deep shade.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-50 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.4-0.7 cm
- Bloom Season
- Late spring to early summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- None
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
Depends on
Wine-colored Truffle
Rhizopogon vinicolor
Obtains all its nutrients from this specific fungus.
Depends on
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
The fungus connects it indirectly to the roots of these trees.
Pollinates
Yellow-faced Bumblebee
Bombus vosnesenskii
Visits its small flowers, helping to spread its pollen.
Traits
Shade Tolerant
Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
Medicinal
Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Longevous
This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
Endangered
Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch wild plants unless a grown-up says it's okay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify sugarstick?
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 sugarstick?
10-50 cm
How big are the flowers on sugarstick?
0.4-0.7 cm
When does sugarstick bloom?
Late spring to early summer
Is sugarstick edible?
No
Is sugarstick toxic?
None
What is sugarstick's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is sugarstick pollinated?
Insect
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
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Recent Snaps
May 27, 2026
Wind River Arboretumi
Photo attribution
(c) Josie Graydon, some rights reserved (CC BY)
License: CC BY 4.0 ↗
Image may be shown cropped inside the card frame.
Where to spot
Photo coming soon
State Park0 sightings30 species
British Columbia, CA
Mehatl Creek Provincial Park
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Historic Site30 sightings12 species
Washington, US
Glines Canyon Dam
You might spot Broad-Leaved Stonecrop and Western Sword Fern.
View guide →
Photo coming soon
Nature Reserve30 sightings12 species
California, US
King Range
You might spot Northern Elephant Seal, Gumboot Chiton, and Ochre Sea Star.
View guide →
Photo coming soon
Botanical Garden30 sightings12 species
Washington, US
Wind River Arboretum
You might spot Cascade Oregon-Grape, Oregon Anemone, and Bride's Bonnet.
View guide →
Photo coming soon
State Park26 sightings4 species
Washington, US
Twanoh State Park
You might spot Evergreen Huckleberry and Barrow's Goldeneye.
View guide →
Photo coming soon
State Park7 sightings3 species
British Columbia, CA
Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park
You might spot Salal, Northern Red Belt, and Western Sword Fern.
View guide →
Take the discovery with you
Found sugarstick?
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