Asheville Herbals gift card

Ghost Pipe tincture

$25.00

This tincture is prepared from Monotropa uniflora, a rare and otherworldly plant that emerges like pale smoke from the forest floor. Often called “Ghost Pipe,” this mycoheterotrophic plant does not photosynthesize, instead forming intimate connections with fungi and trees beneath the soil. Our extract is prepared using a long cold maceration of freshly harvested flowers—soaking until the next year's Ghost Pipe returns. This method was communicated directly by the spirit of the plant, and we honor it as a practice of deep listening and right relationship.

Ghost Pipe is harvested extremely selectively and only from patches that are healthy and expanding. In the years we've worked with this plant, we’ve seen firsthand that respectful, minimal harvesting—conducted in ceremony and with gratitude—can support the vitality of the population. This mirrors insights shared in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, which challenges the idea that human interaction is always harmful. Instead, it suggests that reciprocal relationships, rooted in reverence and restraint, may actually help a plant community thrive.

Scientific Profile

Monotropa uniflora is still largely unexplored by modern science, but the plant contains:

Alkaloids and glycosides: Thought to interact with the central nervous system
Salicylic acid derivatives: Related to the pain-modulating compounds in willow
Mycoheterotrophic compounds: Acquired through its fungal relationship, contributing to its elusive medicinal chemistry

While there is little formal research, traditional and contemporary herbalists have used Ghost Pipe to support the emotional body, particularly in cases of overwhelming grief, trauma, and overstimulation. It does not numb sensation—it seems instead to create space between the self and the experience, allowing one to witness pain without being consumed by it.

Energetic & Traditional Wisdom

Ghost Pipe teaches the medicine of threshold states—emerging from darkness, communing with silence, and navigating what cannot be put into words. Its presence is subtle yet profound, often arriving when other medicines fail to reach the deeper layers of soul-wounding. This is not a daily tonic—it is a spirit ally for moments when the veil is thin, and transformation is near.

The long soak is part of its teaching. It asks us to wait, to listen, and to participate in the slow unfolding of healing. Working with Ghost Pipe is less about controlling outcomes and more about surrendering to inner movement.

How to Use

Take 1–3 drops, not dropperfuls, in water during times of deep emotional processing, spiritual emergence, or energetic overwhelm. Best used under the guidance of an experienced herbalist or ceremonial practitioner.

Ingredients:
Fresh wild-harvested Monotropa uniflora (flowering bodies), organic cane alcohol (70%)

Safety & Contraindications:
Not for daily or casual use. Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This is a subtle and powerful plant best reserved for threshold work. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner before combining with psychiatric or nervous system medications.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Quantity:

Asheville Herbals LLC

Contact@AshevilleHerbals.com