Native Plants
Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.
Boschniakia strobilacea
Boschniakia strobilacea A. Gray
California Groundcone
Orobanchaceae (Broom-Rape Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: BOST2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
An unusual plant, resembling a slender, dark purplish-brown pinecone, standing erect on ground with cupped, spoon-like bracts widest near blunt tip.
This perennial parasite flowers each season and causes large knobs to form on the roots of manzanita shrubs (Arctostaphylos) and madrone trees (Arbutus). Small Groundcone (B. hookeri), which grows near the Pacific Coast from Canada to northern California, is half the size of California Groundcone, with pointed bracts widest at about the middle.
From the Image Gallery
No images of this plant
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 1 foot tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , PurpleBloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: CA , ORNative Distribution: Southern Oregon south to southern California.
Native Habitat: In forests or brush associated with manzanita shrubs or madrone trees.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Boschniakia strobilacea in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Boschniakia strobilacea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Boschniakia strobilacea
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-04-25Research By: TWC Staff