On modern ski jump hills, those little “plants” are actually fake greenery placed in the snow to help jumpers see where the ground is and judge their landing more safely.

What the plants actually do

  • They give depth cues against a sea of flat white snow, so athletes can tell how high they are and when the landing slope is approaching.
  • They act like visual markers on a runway, helping jumpers orient their body and timing just before impact.
  • They reduce the risk of misjudged landings, which can happen when “flat light” makes snow look like a featureless white sheet.

An easy way to picture it: imagine jumping into a swimming pool if the water, walls, and floor were all the same color and you had no tiles or lines to guide your eye. The plants break up that white “void” so your brain can lock onto distance.

Are they real plants?

  • Most of the time they’re artificial tufts or small fake trees, not living plants, designed to be visible but not dangerous if hit.
  • Historically, people sometimes used simple pine boughs or branches because they were easy to get at ski areas and looked natural on camera.

So the short version: there are plants on the ski jump hill not for decoration or superstition, but as a carefully designed visual aid so jumpers can see the ground, time their landing, and avoid crashes.