# Western Rattlesnake Plantain (*Goodyera oblongifolia*) The Western Rattlesnake Plantain is a beautiful plant with shiny, dark green leaves that look like they have a snake's pattern! It grows in shady places and is often found in forests. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 15 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Western Rattlesnake Plantain](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Goodyera_oblongifolia_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goodyera_oblongifolia_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Western Rattlesnake Plantain has deep green leaves with prominent white or silvery veins that create a striking net-like pattern, resembling a reptile's skin. Its tall stalk bears small, greenish-white, bell-shaped flowers arranged in a distinct spiral. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Orchidaceae - **Genus:** Goodyera ## Interesting facts - Its leaves stay green all year round, even under a blanket of snow in cold climates! - The plant's distinctive leaf patterns inspired its name, not because snakes eat it! - This amazing plant is actually a type of orchid, related to some of the world's most exotic flowers! - Western Rattlesnake Plantain grows its tiny seeds in pods, and they are as light as dust for wind dispersal! ## Special abilities - **Rattlesnake Camouflage:** Western Rattlesnake Plantain has patterned leaves that may mimic snake scales, possibly deterring plant-eating animals. - **Fungi Friend:** This plant forms a special partnership with soil fungi to absorb vital nutrients, especially in shady, poor soil. - **Winter Green:** It has evergreen leaves that stay vibrant all winter, letting it gather sunlight even when other plants are dormant. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-40 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Viereck's Sweat Bee (*Lasioglossum vierecki*) — Visits its small flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizoctonia Fungus (*Rhizoctonia repens*) — Provides essential nutrients to the orchid's roots. - **Shelter:** Douglas-fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*) — Thrives in the cool shade provided by its canopy. - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Its leaves might occasionally be browsed by deer. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [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. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not touch plants without asking an adult, as some may not be safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Western Rattlesnake Plantain? 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 Western Rattlesnake Plantain? 10-40 cm ### How wide does Western Rattlesnake Plantain spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Western Rattlesnake Plantain? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Western Rattlesnake Plantain bloom? Summer ### Is Western Rattlesnake Plantain edible? No ### Is Western Rattlesnake Plantain toxic? None ### What is Western Rattlesnake Plantain's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lower Cushman Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-cushman-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Pasayten Wilderness](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pasayten-wilderness) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park - [Telluride Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/telluride-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/purcell-wilderness-conservancy-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Western Rattlesnake Plantain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/western-rattlesnake-plantain) ## 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: [Western Rattlesnake Plantain Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-rattlesnake-plantain)