I live at about 4000 foot elevation near Mount Lassen in Shasta County California. Every spring we have quite a few of these unusual spikes come up throughout our property. They are about 8-10" high and the flowers look like miniature orchids. Can someone please tell me what this is?
I don't think so. They have no foliage and are small slender stalks covered with these flowers. The one in the photo is laying on a 4" square deck post.
Looks like an orchid to me, not sure which species though. Presumably one of the mycoheterotrophic species with no chlorophyll.
It's a Californian-native orchid. Look at Striped Coralroot, Corallorhiza striata (and maybe next time take your camera to the flowers - native orchids are generally rare and shouldn't really be disturbed, just a suggestion....)
Thank you. I'll check into that one and see if this is it. And will definitely not remove one next time! We have quite a few.
