Hiking in the Smokies in early
June, I came upon a young black bear foraging in the woods. Partially hidden
behind a large dead hemlock tree, and with a pair of binoculars in hand, I
watched the bear consume the fruits and shoots on
multiple clumps of bear corn, a process that went on for nearly an hour (and
delayed quite a few hikers, too). A subsequent look at the literature revealed
that the flowering and fruiting structures of bear corn are an important part
of the diet of black bears. White-tailed deer as well as smaller mammals such as squirrels, chipmunks, and mice also feed on the flowers and fruits. In addition to obtaining nutrients, it's thought
that bears seek out squawroot to stimulate bowel activity, particularly after
emerging from hibernation.
What about the plant? Does it
benefit from this interaction with mammals? As you may have guessed, the answer is yes, as
viable seeds of bear corn have been recovered in the scat of black bears and white-tailed deer. While the tiny seeds of bear corn can be transported
short distances by rainwater flowing across the soil surface, black bears and other mammals feeding
on ripe fruits play an important role in dispersing the seeds over a larger
area. This increases the chance that at least some seeds will be deposited in
close proximity to the roots of a suitable host plant, required for successful establishment as
bear corn is an obligate root parasite (mainly on oaks).
There's a human connection to
bear corn as well in that Native Americans of eastern North America used it as
a medicinal plant.
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