Spot a strange parasite of tree roots this month
TOOTHWORT IS A PLANT DEVOID OF leaves or chlorophyll, with a ghostly pallor that’s most un-plant-like. Its pale pink flower spikes, which sprout suddenly in March and April, bear an uncanny resemblance to naked flesh, or (hence the name) a stack of pulled teeth. They could also be mistaken for dead flowers, though these blooms are fresh.
The botanist Chris Thorogood writes in his book Chasing Plants that toothworts possess an “unearthly, ethereal aura; a static beauty”. Their odd appearance is explained by the fact that they are parasites, deriving all of their water and essential nutrients by tapping into the roots of other plants. The vampires spend most of their life underground: only the flowers see the light of day. Common toothwort, the sole species found in Britain, targets trees, usually hazel. It is widespread, though uncommon.