Ghost plant (Monotropa uniflora) is a native wildflower found throughout much of North America, including Wisconsin. It grows from Maine to California, and from Florida to Alaska, though it tends to be absent in the central Rockies.
This unusual plant typically reaches 4 to 12 inches in height. Each pale, waxy stem bears a single flower that droops downward when it first emerges from the forest floor. The flower itself is about an inch long. Indian Pipe is strikingly white—sometimes pinkish—with scattered black flecks, giving it an ethereal, otherworldly look.
It thrives in mature, moist, and shaded forests, especially near decaying stumps or under beech trees. What makes it truly unique is that it lacks chlorophyll and doesn’t photosynthesize. Instead, ghost plant is a mycoheterotroph—it obtains nutrients by parasitizing mycorrhizal fungi that are in a symbiotic relationship with nearby trees. These fungi form a vast underground web, often called the “wood wide web,” which shuttles nutrients and chemical signals throughout the forest. Ghost plant cleverly inserts itself into this system, drawing energy indirectly from trees via this fungal network—no sunlight required.
Ghost plant typically blooms from early summer to early autumn, often appearing after rain. Once pollinated—mainly by bumblebees—the flower lifts upright and eventually produces a capsule that releases fine seeds into the air. (July)