Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) is in the heath family family (Ericaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 5,944 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to August, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Ghost Pipe: observations by month (U.S.)
About Ghost Pipe
Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant (or ghost pipe), Indian pipe or corpse plant, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to temperate regions of Udmurtiya in European Russia, Asia, North America and northern South America, but with large gaps between areas. It was formerly classified in the family Monotropaceae; however, it has now been included within the Ericaceae. It is generally scarce or rare in occurrence.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Ghost Pipe by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 796 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Virginia | 615 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 528 | July | Jun–Sep |
| New York | 404 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 333 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Washington | 305 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Vermont | 301 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 264 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 239 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Maine | 215 | July | Jul–Aug |
| New Jersey | 208 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Michigan | 207 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 206 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Maryland | 174 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 151 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Oregon | 133 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Kentucky | 123 | July | Jun–Sep |
| West Virginia | 109 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Florida | 82 | November | Nov–Dec |
| Connecticut | 67 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Georgia | 66 | June | May–Oct |
| Mississippi | 64 | October | Oct–Dec |
| Tennessee | 60 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Indiana | 54 | July | Jul–Jul |
| South Carolina | 37 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Illinois | 36 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Alabama | 35 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Delaware | 25 | June | Jun–Oct |
| Rhode Island | 21 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Iowa | 17 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Texas | 16 | October | Oct–Nov |
| District of Columbia | 11 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Arkansas | 9 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Idaho | 8 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Missouri | 8 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Montana | 7 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Louisiana | 6 | October | Sep–Nov |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (heath family)
Striped Wintergreen
Trailing Arbutus
Mountain Laurel
Pipsissewa
Great Rhododendron
Sheep Laurel
Flame Azalea
Pinesap
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ghost Pipe?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from June to August.
Where is Ghost Pipe most often seen?
The most observations come from North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts.