This plant grows at lower elevations where snow is rare as well. But as I said before it does not bloom very often. I recall that when an area near Fort Bragg, California (north coast) burned, it flowered well. This was a habitat with pygmy soil (wet with poor drainage and hardpan below, extremely -underlined- acidic soil.) I haven't examined the soil where I've seen it locally but I'd guess well-drained, dry in summer, well watered during the rainy season (some time in fall until some time in spring). So obviously different population have very different conditions and habitats. Mary Sue