People are seeing mysterious plants popping up in Central Virginia

Ghost Pipe in Virginia ParkPhoto byKatelyn Harlow ABC News Screenshot

WRIC 8 News reported that Virginians are seeing strange-looking plants popping up in Central Virginia. The U.S. Forest Service gives some information about them.

Forest Service information

The Forest Service has identified the mysterious plants. They are Ghost Pipe perennial plants, meaning they live for over two years. They pop up in Central Virginia anytime from June through September.

Ghost PipePhoto bydekayem/Wikipedia Screenshot

The plants are usually between four and eight inches tall, with small leaves and white flowers. These appear white because they lack chlorophyll, which gives most other plants their green pigment.

Instead of getting its nutrients through chlorophyll, the plants get their nutrients from tree roots through fungi.

Ghost pipe is a native species found in many areas throughout the U.S. It is usually spotted along the floor of deep, shady woods at low to moderate elevations.

According to Virginia law, removing plants from any state park is illegal unless a special permit is given for scientific collecting.