Rollins’ Twinpod: A Rare Colorado Treasure Worth Protecting
Meet Rollins’ twinpod (Physaria rollinsii), one of Colorado’s most precious botanical gems. This little-known native plant might not be destined for your garden bed, but it certainly deserves a spot in your heart—and our collective conservation efforts.
What Makes Rollins’ Twinpod Special?
Rollins’ twinpod is a perennial forb (a fancy way of saying it’s a non-woody flowering plant that comes back year after year) belonging to the mustard family. Like its botanical relatives, it produces cheerful yellow flowers that add splashes of sunshine to its native Colorado landscape. As a native species to the lower 48 states, specifically Colorado, this plant has evolved perfectly to thrive in its high-altitude home.
A Plant on the Edge: Rarity Status
Here’s the important part: Rollins’ twinpod has a Global Conservation Status of S1, meaning it’s critically imperiled. With typically five or fewer known occurrences and very few remaining individuals (fewer than 1,000), this plant is hanging on by a thread. Its extreme rarity makes it especially vulnerable to extinction.
This critically endangered status is found exclusively in Colorado, making it a true endemic treasure of the Centennial State.
Should You Grow Rollins’ Twinpod?
While we’d love to encourage growing every native plant, Rollins’ twinpod falls into a special category. Due to its critically imperiled status, we strongly recommend not attempting to grow this plant unless you have access to responsibly sourced material from legitimate conservation programs or botanical institutions.
Here’s why restraint is key:
- Wild collection could harm the few remaining populations
- Seeds or plants are extremely difficult (if not impossible) to obtain legally
- The plant’s specific growing requirements are not well understood
- Conservation efforts should focus on protecting existing populations first
What We Know About Growing Conditions
While specific cultivation information for Rollins’ twinpod is limited due to its rarity, we can make educated guesses based on its Colorado habitat and related species:
- Climate: Likely hardy in USDA zones 4-6, adapted to Colorado’s challenging mountain conditions
- Soil: Probably prefers well-draining, rocky soils typical of high-elevation areas
- Sunlight: Most likely thrives in full sun conditions
- Water: Presumably drought-tolerant once established, like many Colorado natives
Supporting Conservation Instead
Rather than trying to grow Rollins’ twinpod, consider supporting its conservation in other meaningful ways:
- Donate to Colorado native plant conservation organizations
- Volunteer with local botanical surveys and monitoring efforts
- Advocate for habitat protection in Colorado
- Spread awareness about rare native plants
Alternative Native Plants to Consider
If you’re drawn to Colorado’s native mustard family plants, consider these more common alternatives that offer similar ecological benefits:
- Other Physaria species that aren’t critically imperiled
- Rocky Mountain beeplant (Cleome serrulata)
- Western wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)
- Wild mustard relatives that are locally abundant
The Bigger Picture
Rollins’ twinpod reminds us that not every native plant story has a happy grow it in your garden ending. Sometimes, the most loving thing we can do for a plant is to admire it from afar and work to protect the wild spaces where it still clings to existence.
By understanding and respecting the conservation status of rare natives like Rollins’ twinpod, we become better stewards of our natural heritage. Every garden we plant with common native species helps create a network of habitat that supports the broader ecosystem—including the rare plants that depend on healthy, connected landscapes to survive.
So while you might not be planting Rollins’ twinpod anytime soon, you can still honor its existence by choosing other Colorado natives for your garden and supporting conservation efforts that protect this irreplaceable piece of our botanical heritage.
