This evening we are joined by BHWP naturalist, Juanita Hummel as she shares with us something rather different from our flowering plant friends. Ghost pipe (Monotropa uniflora), is a parasitic plant with no need to photosynthesize. Without the need for energy generation, there is no need for green chlorophyll, which is why it has that ghostly white appearance. Instead, this plant siphons the resources from nearby trees through the network of mycorrhizal fungi that the trees have developed a symb

Kimberly spotted ghost pipe this summer, and it’s still one of our favorite “wait… what is THAT?” plants in the Smokies. A delightfully eerie discovery for your Friday the 13th… 👻🌿 Ghost pipe typically blooms in the Smokies from June through September, and it's often confused with fungi because it looks so un-plant-like. They have one white flower per stem, and often grow in clusters on the forest floor. They can take on a pink hue and sometimes feature black spots or swirls down the stem. Que

Monotropa uniflora (Ghost Pipe). What a mysterious and amazing plant. Ghost Plant doesn’t photosynthesize so no chlorophyll is needed. Instead plants are snow white or occasionally pink in color and they parasitize fungi in the Russulaceae family. #monotropa #monotropauniflora #ghostpipe #ericaceae #wildflowers #wildflowerphotography #mycoheterotroph #canon #canonphotography #CanonR6MarkII #canonmacro #paullovesplants | Paul Marcum