Meet the Mysterious Groundcone: A Fascinating Parasite You Can’t Actually Grow
Have you ever stumbled across something in the woods that looked more like a pine cone growing directly from the soil than an actual plant? Chances are, you might have encountered a groundcone (Boschniakia) – one of nature’s most peculiar and misunderstood plants. This unique native species is guaranteed to spark curiosity, but before you start planning where to plant one in your garden, there’s something important you need to know.
What Exactly Is a Groundcone?
Groundcone is a perennial parasitic plant that’s about as far from your typical garden flower as you can get. Instead of the familiar green leaves and colorful blooms we’re used to, this fascinating species emerges from the ground looking like a brownish-purple or reddish cone. It’s completely dependent on other plants for survival, which makes it one of nature’s ultimate freeloaders – and explains why you can’t simply pick up seeds at your local nursery.
Where You’ll Find These Botanical Oddities
Groundcones are native throughout western North America, calling home to Alaska, Canada, and several states in the lower 48. You can find them growing wild in Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, California, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Oregon, and Washington. They prefer the company of specific shrubs in forest understories and coastal areas.
Why You Can’t Add Groundcone to Your Garden (And Why That’s Okay)
Here’s where things get interesting – and a bit disappointing if you were hoping to add this unique plant to your landscape. Groundcones are parasitic plants, which means they survive by attaching to the roots of host plants and essentially borrowing nutrients from them. They specifically target shrubs like manzanita (Arctostaphylos) and wintergreen species (Gaultheria).
This parasitic lifestyle means groundcones:
- Cannot survive without their specific host plants
- Don’t have traditional roots, stems, or leaves like other plants
- Can’t be propagated through seeds or cuttings like typical garden plants
- Require very specific soil conditions and fungal partnerships
What Makes Them Special in the Wild
While you can’t cultivate groundcones, they play an interesting role in their native ecosystems. These unusual plants typically grow in USDA hardiness zones 6-9 within their natural range. They emerge in late spring or early summer, creating an otherworldly appearance in forest floors.
From a wildlife perspective, groundcones do attract some pollinators, primarily flies and beetles, though they’re not the showy pollinator magnets that many gardeners seek. Their main ecological value lies in their role as part of the complex web of forest relationships.
Appreciating Groundcones Where They Belong
Instead of trying to grow groundcones in your garden (which simply won’t work), consider these alternatives:
- Plant their host species like native manzanitas or wintergreen shrubs, which are excellent garden plants in their own right
- Create a Pacific Northwest native plant garden that mimics the forest ecosystems where groundcones naturally occur
- Take nature walks in areas where groundcones grow to observe these fascinating plants in their natural habitat
- Support conservation efforts that protect the forest ecosystems where these unique parasites thrive
The Bottom Line on Groundcones
Groundcones are one of those remarkable plants that remind us that nature is far more creative and complex than our typical garden plants might suggest. While you can’t bring them home to your backyard, understanding and appreciating these parasitic perennials adds to our knowledge of the incredible diversity of native plants in western North America.
If you’re interested in supporting the ecosystems where groundcones live, focus on planting their host species and other native plants from your region. You’ll create habitat that supports not just the plants you can see, but also the hidden networks of relationships that make species like groundcone possible.
