Warrior's Plume

Warrior’s Plume is a brilliant perennial herb, featuring gorgeous spiky red flower stalks. The short flower stalks sprout dark green fern-like leaves at the base, which redden near the stalk’s inflorescence. The leaves are sharply lobed and toothed, almost serrated. The plant’s magenta flowers are its most notable aspect. The dense, spiked flower clusters have bright red tubular flowers, which emerge from between red toothed leaves.

Basic Information

• Member of the Orobanchaceae family

• Perennial herb and root parasite

• As a root parasite, Warrior’s Plume attaches itself to the roots of other plants to obtain nutrients and water. This plant is a facultative parasite, or hemiparasite, meaning that it can live without attaching to another plant but will parasitize if presented with the opportunity. Often, Warrior’s Plume parasitizes plants of the heath family, such as manzanita.

Habitat

• Native to California and Oregon

• Common to chaparral and California oak woodlands ecosystems

Ecological Role

• Nectar source for hummingbirds

• Hummingbirds are attracted by the bright red flowers

Reproduction

• Blooms in winter and spring

Alternative Names

• Indian Warrior

Historical Uses

• The children of Native tribes in Mendocino sucked the nectar out of the flowers