I’ll always remember the late Jim Fowler, local wildflower expert, when I photograph Sweet Pinesap.  It was his writing and detailed blog posts about this rare plant that lead me to crawling around the forest seeking the beautiful smells of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.  Because that’s how you find this plant!  It’s size and natural camouflage make it nearly impossible to locate with your eyes; you must first trust your nose to point you towards the bloom.

Standing a few inches off the forest floor and perfectly camouflaged with tan, leaf-like bracts that perfectly match the thick litter they hide beneath, Sweet Pinesap is a treasure hunt wildflower.  To gently sweep aside crunchy brown leaves to reveal a patch of these beautiful, rare plants is truly rewarding–a highlight of my spring ephemeral wildflower photography.

Sweet Pinesap has no chlorophyll.  It is a myco-heterotroph, meaning that it partners with mycorrhizal fungi and nearby trees to gain the nutrients necessary for growth.  The flowers range from pink to a very deep purple.  Sweet Pinesap is native to the Appalachian Mountains.

NatureServe ranks Sweet Pinesap G3 globally vulnerable and S2 imperiled in South Carolina.

Camera:  Canon 5DSr
Lens:  Canon MP-E 65mm

Date taken:  March 14, 2024
Settings:  f14, 1/250 second, iso 100