This Week: Bear Corn, Vampire of the Woods
Hello!
If you’re intrigued by the weirdness of Skunk Cabbage, you might also be interested in Bear Corn, another oddball native wildflower that pops up this time of year. Bear Corn (Conopholis americana) is a funny-looking flower that resembles an ear of corn when it is fresh and a pine cone as it withers. You’ll find it sticking a few inches out of the ground in the woods in April and May here in Pennsylvania.
A Vampiric Relationship
Bear Corn is yellowish-brown because it lacks chlorophyll and doesn’t undergo photosynthesis. It also doesn’t have any leaves—instead, they’re scales. The truth? This plant is a non-harmful parasite that attaches itself to the roots of members of the Oak family (Quercus), where it forms a good-sized lump. It sucks all of the nutrients and water that it needs to survive from the Oak’s root—it can’t fend for itself (the term for this concept is obligate parasite or holoparasite).
When its flowering period is over, the plant develops seed capsules, which is how it reproduces. Obviously, the seeds will not turn into plants without the nearness of life-giving Oak tree roots, and it takes three or more years for the plant to extract enough from the roots to develop into a flowering plant.
About that common name…
You can probably guess why it is called Bear Corn. Black bears eat it, and some suspect hungry deer may also take an occasional bite. Other common names are Squawroot or American Cancer-root. This suggests some indigenous or medicinal purposes, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. A related native plant, Conopholis alpina var. mexicana, was used by the Acoma and Laguna Indians to treat tuberculosis. However, I could not find reliable sources for various Internet claims that Conopholis americana was used for anything of note by Eastern North American native peoples.
Elsewhere:
It’s time for a book recommendation! I’ve been enjoying paging through Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles. This book is filled with observations and drawings inspired by her nature journals. For a sneak peek, check out this unlocked article from The New York Times.
Have a good week,
Julie