Prince's pine Chimaphila umbellata growing in a mossy Washington conifer forest

Prince’s pine (Chimaphila umbellata) growing naturally on the forest floor in Washington, where its pink flowers stood out among the moss and evergreen foliage.

I went into the forest that day looking for something completely different.

Mushrooms.

Before mushroom season really begins, I like to scout different areas and pay attention to what is happening in the forest—what kinds of trees are growing there, how much moisture remains in the ground, what plants cover the forest floor, and whether the habitat looks promising for mushrooms later in the season.

That was exactly what I was doing when something small and pink suddenly caught my attention.

Among all the greens and browns of the forest floor, these tiny flowers stood out immediately.

I stopped walking.

The flowers were not large at all, but they were surprisingly noticeable. Their soft pink color looked almost luminous against the darker forest floor.

I took out my camera and began filming them, but even while I was recording I kept thinking the same thing:

The camera simply could not capture how beautiful they looked in person.

And just like that, my mushroom scouting turned into another unexpected wild plant discovery.

The plant was Prince’s pine, also commonly called pipsissewa.

Its scientific name is Chimaphila umbellata.

What Is Prince’s Pine?

Prince’s pine is a small perennial evergreen plant belonging to the Ericaceae, or heath family.

Despite the name “Prince’s pine,” it is not actually a pine.

The plant remains green throughout the year and often grows in wooded areas, particularly coniferous forests.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, it can be found growing on the forest floor where its dark green foliage can easily blend into the surrounding vegetation.

That may be one reason I noticed the flowers before I noticed the plant itself.

The leaves almost disappeared into everything around them.

The pink flowers did not.

How I Recognize Prince’s Pine

When I discover an unfamiliar wild plant, I try not to identify it from the flower alone.

Flowers can be one of the easiest characteristics to notice, but they are only present for part of the year.

The leaves of Prince’s pine provide several useful identification clues.

They are evergreen, thick, shiny, and somewhat leathery in texture.

Several leaves appear grouped around the stem, sometimes giving the plant a distinctly whorled appearance.

But there was another feature I found especially useful.

Look at the leaf edges.

The margins have noticeable serrations, particularly toward the outer portion of the leaves.

Some of those teeth can look surprisingly sharp when viewed closely.

Once I began looking carefully at the leaves instead of concentrating only on those beautiful flowers, the plant became much easier to recognize.

Close-up of Prince's pine pink flowers and glossy serrated evergreen leaves

A closer look at the delicate pink flowers and glossy evergreen leaves of Prince’s pine.
The noticeable serrations along the leaf margins are one useful identification feature.

The Tiny Pink Flowers That Made Me Stop

Of course, the flowers are still the part I remember most.

Prince’s pine produces delicate flowers ranging from pale pink to deeper rose-pink shades.

They are carried above the foliage on slender flower stalks, so the blossoms almost seem to float above the evergreen leaves.

Each flower has five petals and five sepals, and there are ten stamens arranged around the reproductive structures in the center.

Viewed closely, the flowers have an almost waxy appearance.

But photographs can make them seem larger than they really are.

Standing beside them in the forest, I was struck by just how small and delicate they were.

And yet they were the first thing I noticed.

Prince’s Pine vs. Little Prince’s-Pine

There is also another closely related plant in the Pacific Northwest called little prince’s-pine.

Its scientific name is:

Chimaphila menziesii

The two belong to the same genus and can grow in similar forest habitats, so flower color alone should never be the basis for identification.

Little prince’s-pine is generally smaller and normally produces fewer flowers, often only one to three.

Prince’s pine, Chimaphila umbellata, commonly produces a larger cluster.

Leaf size, leaf shape, plant size, flower number, and the overall growth pattern should all be considered together.

This is something I try to remember with every wild plant I find:

One characteristic is rarely enough.

The Mushroom Connection I Wasn’t Expecting

This is where my discovery became even more interesting to me.

Remember why I was in the forest in the first place?

I was scouting for mushrooms.

Prince's pine with pink flowers found while mushroom scouting in a Washington forest

I found this Prince’s pine while scouting a new forest area for mushrooms.
The small pink flowers were so striking that I stopped to take a closer look.

Later, while learning more about Prince’s pine, I discovered that plants in this group have an interesting relationship with fungi beneath the forest floor.

That immediately caught my attention.

The tiny seeds of plants in this group rely closely on fungal partners during germination and early development.

Their relationship as mature plants becomes more complicated, and researchers have studied the degree to which different species continue receiving resources through their fungal associations.

So I would not simplify Prince’s pine by saying that it simply “gets its food from mushrooms.”

The biology is much more interesting than that.

There is an underground relationship involving plants, fungi, roots, soil, and the surrounding forest ecosystem.

I had walked into this area looking for signs of mushrooms above the ground.

Instead, a tiny pink wildflower reminded me once again how much of the forest story is actually happening below it.

Is Prince’s Pine Edible or Medicinal?

Pipsissewa has a history of traditional use, including herbal preparations made from parts of the plant.

But this is an important distinction:

Traditional use does not automatically mean that a wild plant has been proven safe or effective for a particular medical purpose.

For me, finding this plant was not about harvesting it.

I wanted to identify it, photograph it, understand where it was growing, and leave it exactly where I found it.

That is part of wild plant exploration too.

Not everything I discover in the forest needs to come home with me.

Sometimes the best harvest is simply knowledge, photographs, and the memory of finding something beautiful.

A Wildflower I Wasn’t Looking For

I originally walked into the forest thinking about mushrooms.

I was looking at the trees, studying the ground, and trying to find another promising mushroom habitat for later in the season.

Prince’s pine was not on my list.

I wasn't searching for it.

And perhaps that is exactly why I remember this discovery so clearly.

There it was—a small evergreen forest plant with tiny pink flowers glowing against the green forest floor.

Prince’s pine.

Pipsissewa.

Chimaphila umbellata.

Now that I know its leaves, flowers, and growth habit, I imagine I will notice it much more quickly the next time I encounter it.

That is one of my favorite things about learning wild plants.

Once you truly learn to recognize one, the forest never looks quite the same again.

Want to See Prince’s Pine in the Forest?

Photographs can show the pink flowers and evergreen leaves, but they do not fully show what first caught my attention—the way the flowers stood above the foliage, how small the plant actually was, or how it looked growing naturally among the other plants on the forest floor.

I also filmed the leaves up close so you can see their shape and serrated margins more clearly.

If you would like to see Prince’s pine growing in its natural forest habitat, I shared both a full video and a short video on my YouTube channel.

Watch My Videos

Long video: I Was Scouting for Mushrooms When I Found Prince’s Pine

In the full video, you can see the plant in its natural habitat and take a closer look at the flowers, evergreen leaves, identification features, and the interesting connection between this group of plants and fungi.

Short video: I Was Looking for Mushrooms When I Found This | Prince’s Pine

The Short shows the moment this tiny pink forest flower caught my attention while I was scouting for mushrooms.

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If you enjoy discovering wild plants, mushrooms, berries, seaweed, shellfish, fishing, and Korean-style cooking, I would love to have you join me on YouTube.

I share what I discover in the forests, mountains, rivers, and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest—and sometimes those wild ingredients eventually make their way into my kitchen.

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Another Small Forest Plant That Made Me Stop and Look

Prince’s pine isn't the first small plant I have found while exploring Washington forests that turned out to be much more interesting once I looked closely.

Another was Western rattlesnake plantain.

Despite the word “plantain” in its common name, it is actually a native orchid, with distinctive evergreen leaves that can be recognized even when the plant is not flowering.

If you enjoy identifying the smaller plants growing beneath the PNW forest canopy, you may enjoy this story next.

Western Rattlesnake Plantain: The Forest Plant That Is Actually an Orchid

Foraging Safety

Never eat or use a wild plant based only on a photograph, video, common name, or online description.

Always confirm identification using multiple characteristics and reliable regional references.

Avoid harvesting near roads, heavy traffic, sprayed areas, polluted locations, or anywhere contamination may be present.

If you are harvesting anywhere other than your own private property, always check and follow local harvesting laws, regulations, and land-use rules.

Traditional use of a wild plant does not automatically mean that it is safe or medically effective.

When in doubt, leave the plant where it is.

Thank You for Visiting Wild Harvest Life PNW

Sometimes I go into the forest knowing exactly what I hope to find.

Other times, something I never expected becomes the most memorable part of the day.

Prince’s pine was one of those discoveries.

I went looking for mushrooms and came home with photographs, video, and one more forest plant that I will now recognize whenever our paths cross again.

I hope this story helps you notice a little more of what is growing beneath the trees the next time you walk through a Pacific Northwest forest.

Stay tuned for more Wild Harvest Life adventures! 🌿

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Prince’s Pine (Chimaphila umbellata): The Pink PNW Wildflower I Found While Scouting for Mushrooms