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Indian Pipe Flower Wikimedia Commons
Ericaceae

Indian Pipe Flower

Monotropa uniflora

Mystery and the unseen world.

Family
Ericaceae
Genus
Monotropa
Native to
North America, Asia, South America
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
perennial
Height
10-30 cm
Sunlight
deep shade
Soil
rich, moist, humus-heavy
Water
moderate to high
Hardiness
3-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Indian pipe contains no chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize, making it one of the few non-green plants.
  • It obtains nutrients by parasitizing fungi that are connected to tree roots in a three-way relationship.
  • The ghostly white plant turns black when picked or dried, earning it the nickname 'ghost plant.'
  • Emily Dickinson was fascinated by Indian pipe and called it her favorite flower.
  • Each stem produces only a single downward-nodding flower that turns upward as seeds develop.

Color meanings

0

mystery

1

hidden connections

2

dependence

Uses

  • ornamental curiosity
  • traditional medicine
  • ecological study