Information
Landmark: Darlingtonia State Natural SiteCity: Florence OR
Country: USA Oregon
Continent: North America
Darlingtonia State Natural Site, Florence OR, USA Oregon, North America
Overview
About five miles north of Florence, Oregon, just off U. S. Route 101, Darlingtonia State Natural Site spans 18 acres of lush wetlands, set aside to protect the rare Darlingtonia californica-its tall, hooded blooms earning the name cobra lily.This unusual meat-eating plant stands alone in its genus and is the sole pitcher plant found in Oregon, where its green, flared traps gleam in the damp sunlight.Natural Features and Ecology The site includes a sphagnum moss–covered fen, a wetland kept alive by the steady trickle of cool, spring-fed water.In the bog’s sour, nutrient-starved soil, Darlingtonia californica thrives alongside other rare wetland plants, their roots gripping the spongy ground.The cobra lily’s curved, tube-like leaves, shaped like a striking cobra, lure insects with a drop of sweet nectar, then trap them with tiny hairs that force them down.Once inside, the plant breaks them down, turning each tiny body into the nutrients it needs to grow.Visitors can wander a short boardwalk that twists through the bog, bringing them eye-level with the hooded, green-and-red Darlingtonia plants in their wild home.Along the trail, you’ll spot interpretive signs that explain the plant’s unusual biology-like how its flowers only open at dusk-and share details about the ecosystem around it.The site welcomes visitors every day of the year, from the first pale light of morning until dusk, and there’s no entrance fee, so everyone can wander in and enjoy it.The site has free parking, spotless restrooms, and picnic tables shaded by tall oaks, making it easy and comfortable for visitors to enjoy their stay.The boardwalk trail stays level and easy to walk, welcoming visitors of every ability, from kids in strollers to hikers in worn boots.The area welcomes pets, so you can bring your dog along-as long as they’re on a leash, maybe sniffing the grass by your side.Darlingtonia State Natural Site stands alone in Oregon’s park system, devoted entirely to protecting one remarkable plant-the cobra lily, with its strange green hoods catching the light.It’s vital for protecting the Darlingtonia californica, a plant that flourishes where cold, clear water seeps through the site’s rare wetland.Whether you love botany, care about ecology, or just want a quiet spot where the wind moves through tall grasses, Darlingtonia State Natural Site offers a unique and eye-opening experience.
