Rare Indian Pipe Plant in West Michigan

A couple of weeks ago I found this odd looking thing growing in my backyard.

Was it a plant, mushroom, or something else?

I contacted Michigan State University Extension for help identifying my discovery.

Marcia Lucas at MSU Extension confirmed that what I found was the rare Indian Pipe Plant.

Lucas explained that even though it looks like some kind of fungus, the plant is a wildflower native to North America.

Volunteers at MSU Extension also helped identify the plant.

When I first found the plant I considered removing it, since I did not know if it was safe and it is near a kids play area. The plant looked like an odd mushroom and a bit creepy. The plant's other two other names, Ghost Plant and Corpse Plant, support the creepy factor.

Some find it beautiful, not creepy. Emily Dickinson called Indian Pipe Plant "the preferred flower of life". Her first book of poetry had the flower on the cover.

Glad I didn't pull the plant out.

It was a lighter white and more translucent when I first found it a few weeks ago, about a week before I took the first pictures. Now, the plant has turned mostly black (which you can see by scrolling to the bottom).

The ghost-white and black colors helped to earn the names Ghost Plant and Corpse Plant.

Indian Pipe Plant is found from early summer to early autumn in moist, shaded areas. The plants range in height from 10 - 30 centimeters and each produces a single flower.

It gets it's unusual color because it is non-photosynthetic and doesn't have any chlorophyll. It is also part of the blueberry family.

Indian Pipe Plant steals energy from a nearby tree to get it's energy to survive.

Fun to find such a unique plant!