Indiana's Ghost Pipe Plant Blooms in Clark State Forest

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry documented the rare ghost pipe (Monotropa uniflora) blooming in Clark State Forest. The plant is completely white, translucent and lacks chlorophyll, so it cannot photosynthesize. Instead it obtains nutrients through mycoheterotrophy, tapping an underground fungal network linked to tree roots.

Ghost pipe spends most of the year underground and is only visible during its summer bloom, which typically occurs between June and September. Individual stems reach 4‑8 inches tall and produce a single flower that may appear white, pale pink or with black speckles as it ages. The species is native to Indiana and other shaded forests across the eastern United States. The DNR advises observers to admire the plant without disturbing it, as the short‑lived blooms blend into leaf litter and are easy to miss.