Ghost Plant is a genus of four species of herbaceous perennial wildflowers in the blueberry family that are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Three species are found in North Carolina. This unusual plant has no chlorophyll. It obtains its nutrients by using mycorrhizal fungi to tap into the resources of trees, (i.e., it is mycoheterotrophic). Because these plants do not need any sunlight, they can live in very dark sites, such as the floor of deep forests. The typical Ghost Plant consists of a cluster of unbranched erect stems,about 3 to 9 inches tall, small leaves, and a single white or multiple red flowers, depending on species. Bloom season last only 1 to 2 weeks and is highly variable, extending from late spring into the fall. After the blooming period, the entire plant becomes dark brown or black, and the flower becomes a seed capsule. The root system consists of a mat of brittle fleshy roots. The two species on Monotropa commonly found in the United States are M. hypopitys , which produces red flowers in the fall, and M. uniflora , which produces a white flower on a more unpredictable schedule. Also, M. hypopitys produces multiple flowers per stem, unlike other species of Monotropa . Growing a Ghost Plant is very difficult. Plants transplanted from the wild require abundant woodland humus and, because the plant is mycoheterotrphic, the appropriate fungi must be present. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Moist
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Black; Pink; White
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf feel
Waxy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are scale-like and small; like the stems, they are white, translucent, and hairless. They contain no chlorophyll and dry to a blackish color.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
3/4 inch, nodding, erect, flower at end of a scaly stalk; 4-5 petals and 10 stamens. Narrowly bell-shaped. The petals are longer and more persistent than the sepals. Only M. hypopitys produces multiple flowers per stem.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Ovoid seed capsule about ½ inch long, 5-celled, containing numerous tiny seeds blown about by the wind after the capsule splits open.
Stem color
Pink; White
Stem detail
Stems range in height from 3 to 9 inches, terete, white or pink, translucent, fleshy, and hairless.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
SubArctic, North America, Central America, and Columbia.
Distribution
Europe and Asia. United States from Maine to California and from Florida to Alaska. It is absent from Nevada.