Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Monotropaceae

Genus:

Pityopus

Species:

Pityopus californica

USDA Symbol:

PICA9

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Garden & Ecology Notes

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, acidic, well-drained forest soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

typically found in coniferous forest understories

Propagation & Germination

Notes:

Mycoheterotrophic species; does not photosynthesize and depends entirely on mycorrhizal fungi for nutrients. Cultivation from seed is not practical.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI