Ghost flower: The unusual plant that heals pain and anxiety; rediscovered by the internet

Deep in shaded forests, the ghost flower (Monotropa uniflora) seems almost supernatural, a waxy white plant that glows faintly against the soil. Unlike most vegetation, it cannot photosynthesise. Instead, it lives off fungi that draw energy from surrounding trees. For generations, healers have valued it for easing pain and anxiety, though its chemistry remains poorly understood. A recent study in Economic Botany explores how this rare, chlorophyll-free plant has re-emerged online as an object of fascination and self-medication. Yet with new popularity comes ecological and ethical questions about harvesting, misinformation, and the balance between science and tradition. The ghost flower overturns the basic rule of plant life; it needs no light. As a mycoheterotroph, it parasitises fu