Monotropa uniflora aka Indian Pipe

Monotropa uniflora is a small plant that lives for years. It belongs to the heath family, Ericaceae. Its names include Indian pipe, corpse plant, and American ice plant. Its home range spans northern Pakistan to Japan and Russia’s Far East. In North America, it grows from Canada to Mexico. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. In Japan, it grows in damp mountain woods. In North America, it grows in rich, dark woods.

The plant grows about 0.7 feet [0.2 metres] tall. It has no chlorophyll and needs a host for nutrients. Kew calls its life form a holoparasite. This means it relies on a host for its food. This need sets it apart from most garden plants. PFAF says it blooms from July to September. Each flower has both male and female organs. The sources give no more facts about flowers or fruit.

PFAF suggests a shaded site in woods with moist soil. The soil should be rich in humus. Its profile says full shade and part shade both suit it. A separate landscape note favours dappled shade or a shaded edge. That note rules out deep shade, so the shade advice differs. The soil list covers sand, loam, and clay. It includes mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. PFAF expects the plant to be hardy in Britain. It gives no firm rating for hardiness.

This plant is hard to grow from seed. Its need for a host limits its use in gardens. PFAF suggests sowing seeds in leaf litter under well-grown trees. It names beech or conifer trees for this method. Another suggested method uses a pot in a cold frame. The pot would hold a plant that might act as host. If seeds grow, PFAF suggests keeping them there for two years. Growers would then plant them out near a well-grown tree. These methods offer no promise of success. The evidence supports a woodland garden as a landscape setting.

PFAF records food use of cooked whole plants and edible leaves. It reports little flavour when raw. Once cooked, the plant tastes like asparagus. Yet PFAF warns that glycosides may make the plant toxic. The food record is thus not proof that eating it is safe. PFAF also notes past use as medicine for spasms. Other past uses were for nervous complaints and eye problems. These reports of past use do not show home treatment is safe. PFAF lists no other uses and flags no weed risk.