From the Greek word 'epi' meaning 'upon' and 'phagos' translating to 'beech', comes Beach-drops which is a parasitic wildflower only found growing under Fagus grandifolia or American Beech trees in eastern North America. They are considered parasitic due to its dependency upon the Beech tree to survive. The roots of the Beech tree release chemicals into the soil that trigger the germination of Beechdrop seed. Beech-drops have no chlorophyll and survive solely by getting its nutrients from American Beech tree roots. It has interesting copper-purple flowers that appear on erect stalks from late summer into fall and will grow up to 16 inches tall. The leaves are small, brown and scale-like. There are usually several tan or brown stems that grow up from a wooly base. The flowers are arranged alternately along the stem. The lower flowers are self-fertile, small and shaped similar to a bud. The upper flowers are typically sterile and have a tubular shape. After blooming, they are replaced with a small seed capsule containing tiny seeds that can be blown by the wind. This plant will only grow at the base of beech trees and does not tolerate being separated. It is not suitable for flower gardens. Please enjoy it in its native habitat. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Its dependency on the American Beech does not allow this plant to be transplanted to another site.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Brown/Copper; Cream/Tan; Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Scale-like leaves without green pigments are triangulare to ovate in shape and 2-4 mm in size.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
White, brownish or purple tubular flowers in axils of scattered, dry scales.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The dry fruits will split open when ripe.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
The stiff to ascending, tan to brown stems are often marked with purple or yellow-brown. The stems are typically smooth, but can be lightly pubescent.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
SE. Canada to E. U.S.A. and Mexico
Distribution
AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV