Ghost Pipe
Monotropa uniflora
Family: Ericaceae (formerly Monotropaceae)Native: Temperate regions of Asia, North America, and northern South AmericaIdentified: Nov 5, 2025
Ghost Pipe is a parasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll, meaning it does not photosynthesize like most plants. Instead, it obtains nutrients from fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, often beeches or conifers. It is characterized by its waxy, ghostly white, translucent stems and flower, which can occasionally have black flecks or a pale pink hue. It typically grows in shaded, damp forest environments.
Learn more about Ghost Pipe in the encyclopedia →Care instructions
This plant is notoriously difficult if not impossible to cultivate outside of its natural habitat due to its complex parasitic relationship with specific fungi and trees. It requires a specific forest ecosystem to thrive and cannot be grown from seed or transplanted successfully.