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SOME LIKE IT HOT

Plants grow and even flourish in the hot, thin soils of many thermal areas. The warmth provides an almost tropical environment that allows some vegetation to emerge during the middle of winter.

Plant communities in the geyser basins experience constant change; therefore, many of the species that occur in hydrothermal areas are plants that are tolerant of widely differing conditions, and thus grow in many places throughout the western United States.

A successful plant must be able to shift locations fairly easily since variations in thermal activity can eradicate the entire population. Hot springs tickle grass, gentians, and other grass species are found in many thermal areas.

Ross’s Bentgrass (Agrostis rossiae) is truly unique. This native Yellowstone species is found near the thermal waters along the Firehole River and near Shoshone Lake. It grows only where the right combination of moisture and warmth create a natural greenhouse.

The ground temperature underlying Ross’s Bentgrass is usually about 100°F (38°C) within an inch of the surface. As a result, Ross’s Bentgrass may emerge as early as January. By early summer, the plants dry out due to warm air temperatures above and hot ground temperatures below. When most of the park’s wildflowers are in full bloom, Ross’s Bentgrass is already dead.

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