Nature Trail, ~0.2 mi loop
No elevation gain
Hiked 3/25/25
The only state park in Oregon dedicated to a single plant, this short nature walk takes you into a small bog filled with carnivorous Pitcher Plants (Darlingtonia californica). These hooded cobra-like plants supplement themselves with insects as they grow in nutrient deficient soils along the coast.
Photo of signpost describing Darlingontia plants, reads:
These cobra-like plants, Darlingtonia californica, are found natively in the bog areas of Northern California and Southwestern Oregon. They flower in May or June with hanging blooms of yellow and red and produce up to a dozen leaves per plant. Erect seed pods remain most of the summer.
Insects are lured into the leaf opening under the hood by nectar on the colorful ‘petal-like’ appendages and the edges of the opening. Once inside the hood the insects become confused by the many transparent areas in the upper parts of the leaves which appear as exits. Keeping a foothold on the glassy smooth upper surface of the tube is difficult and eventually the insects are trapped in the lower tube by sharp downward pointing hairs. After falling into a pool of liquid at the base of the leaf, the captive is digested and absorbed as food through the plants thin lower walls.
Diagram on left shows the various parts of the plant, starting top to bottom reads:
Flower -yellow sepals -red petals
Leaf -transparent window -forked appendages -leaf tube -downward pointing hairs -digestive enzymes
A small field of Darlingtonia californica (Pitcher plants) growing in a bog.
A collection of smaller pitcher plants growing in the more shaded area of the bog. Unsure of whether these were younger or if they were smaller and greener due to reduced sunlight.
