# pinesap (*Monotropa hypopitys*) Pinesap is a special plant that grows in shady forests. It doesn't need sunlight because it gets its food from the trees around it, making it very unique! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Forests ![pinesap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Monotropa_hypopitys_0319.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monotropa_hypopitys_0319.JPG) ## Appearance The pinesap is a ghostly plant, typically yellowish, pinkish, or reddish, sometimes pure white. It has no green leaves, with waxy stalks growing in clusters and bell-shaped flowers that droop downwards, making it look unique. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Hypopitys ## Interesting facts - It's sometimes called a "ghost plant" because of its pale, eerie appearance! - Its scientific name, Monotropa, means "one turn" because its flowers nod before opening. - Pinesap is more closely related to blueberries than to mushrooms, despite its looks. - You can often find it growing where lots of pine needles cover the forest floor. ## Special abilities - **Underground Feeder:** Pinesap can absorb nutrients from fungi living in the soil, which are connected to tree roots, allowing it to thrive without sunlight. - **Shady Dweller:** Pinesap has no chlorophyll, meaning it doesn't need sun to make food, so it can grow in the darkest parts of the forest. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** The sickener (*Russula emetica*) — Pinesap obtains nutrients by attaching to this fungus. - **Depends on:** [Eastern white pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — The fungus that feeds pinesap forms a partnership with this tree. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit the bell-shaped flowers to collect nectar. ## Traits - [Mycorrhizal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mycorrhizal): This trait describes a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a plant, benefiting both organisms. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Parasitic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/parasitic): This trait describes organisms that live on or in a host organism, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch plants without asking an adult, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pinesap? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is pinesap? 10-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on pinesap? 1-2 cm ### When does pinesap bloom? Summer to fall ### Is pinesap edible? No ### Is pinesap toxic? None ### What is pinesap's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is pinesap pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Mehatl Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mehatl-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Fork Factory Brook](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fork-factory-brook) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Glines Canyon Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glines-canyon-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Nyack Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nyack-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Alice Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alice-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see pinesap](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pinesap) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pinesap: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pinesap)