Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
“Fungus plants” are mycoheterotrophic plants: plants that get some or all of their energy and nutrients through fungi. They are not fungi, and there is no general, reliable way to buy and grow them at home. Here’s how the relationship works, examples of these plants, and what “getting” one can realistically mean.
What are fungus plants?
Mycoheterotrophic plants obtain carbon and other resources from fungi instead of relying entirely on photosynthesis. Some are fully non-photosynthetic; others retain some ability to photosynthesize. The term describes a plant’s way of getting resources, not a separate group of fungi.
Fungi belong to their own kingdom, distinct from plants and animals. Many grow largely as networks of fine threads called mycelium; a mushroom, when present, is a visible reproductive structure rather than the whole fungus. [Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2019]
How do plants get resources from fungi?
In a typical mycorrhizal partnership, fungal threads associate with plant roots and help the plant access water and minerals such as nitrogen and phosphorus. In return, the plant supplies carbon-rich compounds, including sugars and lipids. Kew estimates that around 90% of plant species are involved in mycorrhizal partnerships; this is an estimate, not a counted inventory. [Kew, Mycorrhizal Ecology]
#1 Best Overall
- 100% ORGANIC AND NON-GMO: There's no need to worry about intoxicants that may hinder your plant's growth because the Back to the Roots Mushroom Growing Kit is completely organic and not genetically modified; You can cook them however you want or add them to your favorite dishes
- GROW YOUR PLANT ALL YEAR-ROUND: This organic mushroom indoor kit allows you to grow your own crop all-year round; Just place the box near a window with indirect light, mist twice a day, and you'll see delicious, beautiful mushrooms growing within a week; Included in this kit is an organic plant-based soil infused with mushroom spawn and a booklet with instructions
- CONVENIENT AND EASY: Mushrooms are one of the easiest to grow indoors; All you need to do is open, spray daily with the included mister, and in 10 days you'll be harvesting your own mushrooms right out of the box; Each crop produces three to four servings of mushrooms, and each box can grow up two crops
- THE PERFECT GIFT: The perfect holiday gift, it comes in a beautiful packaging so that it's ready to be given to foodie, garden-loving and eco-conscious friends and family; This kit is also part of our Grow One Give One campaign, simpy share a picture on social media, tag us and use the campaign hashtag, and we'll donate a kit to a classroom of your choice
- GUARANTEED TO GROW: Made in the USA and 100% Guaranteed to grow. If you are not satisfied, simply message us and we will send you a Back To The Roots replacement
Mycoheterotrophs change that familiar exchange: they receive carbon through fungal partners rather than making all of it themselves. Depending on the plant, the fungi may be associated with photosynthetic plants, or may be free-living saprotrophs that obtain nutrients by breaking down organic material. The fungus is the intermediary; it is not always a simple, direct transfer from one plant to another. [Merckx et al., “Myco-heterotrophy: when fungi host plants,” 2009]
Examples of mycoheterotrophic plants
These are representative examples, not a complete list of every species. Mycoheterotrophy occurs in multiple plant lineages, and the examples below differ in their ecology and fungal relationships.
Rank #2
- 100% ORGANIC AND NON-GMO: There's no need to worry about intoxicants that may hinder your plant's growth because the Back to the Roots Mushroom Growing Kit is completely organic and not genetically modified; You can cook them however you want or add them to your favorite dishes
- GROW YOUR PLANT ALL YEAR-ROUND: This organic mushroom indoor kit allows you to grow your own crop all-year round; Just place the box near a window with indirect light, mist twice a day, and you'll see delicious, beautiful mushrooms growing within a week; Included in this kit is an organic plant-based soil infused with mushroom spawn and a booklet with instructions
- CONVENIENT AND EASY: Mushrooms are one of the easiest to grow indoors; All you need to do is open, spray daily with the included mister, and in 10 days you'll be harvesting your own mushrooms right out of the box; Each crop produces three to four servings of mushrooms, and each box can grow up two crops
- THE PERFECT GIFT: The perfect holiday gift, it comes in a beautiful packaging so that it's ready to be given to foodie, garden-loving and eco-conscious friends and family; This kit is also part of our Grow One Give One campaign, simpy share a picture on social media, tag us and use the campaign hashtag, and we'll donate a kit to a classroom of your choice
- GUARANTEED TO GROW: Made in the USA and 100% Guaranteed to grow. If you are not satisfied, simply message us and we will send you a Back To The Roots replacement
| Plant | What the sources establish |
|---|---|
| Pinesap (Monotropa hypopithys) | Kew describes pinesap as part of a small group related to heathers that relies exclusively on fungal networks for energy because it lacks chlorophyll. [Kew, Mycelium: Exploring the hidden dimension of fungi] |
| Voyria, including Voyria clavata | Smithsonian describes Voyria as obtaining carbohydrates from intermediary mycorrhizal fungi that also channel resources to trees. Voyria clavata is one of the examples in a peer-reviewed review. [Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2014; Merckx et al., 2009] |
| Cephalanthera damasonium | This orchid is among the examples discussed in the peer-reviewed review. Orchids’ reliance on compatible mycorrhizal fungi is especially relevant to their seed germination. [Merckx et al., 2009; Kew, In Vitro Collection] |
| Pterospora andromedea and Sarcodes sanguinea | Both appear as examples in the peer-reviewed review of mycoheterotrophy. [Merckx et al., 2009] |
| Kupea martinetugei and Afrothismia hydra | Both are also examples in that review; it is not a global species inventory. [Merckx et al., 2009] |
Can you buy or grow one?
The available sources do not establish a dependable consumer supply, a general home-growing recipe, or a generic fungal inoculant that will work for these plants. A mycoheterotroph may depend on a particular fungal partner, and adding an arbitrary product labeled “mycorrhizal fungi” does not establish that the required partnership is present. The review describes high fungal specificity in many cases. [Merckx et al., 2009]
Orchids illustrate the challenge: Kew says they require mycorrhizal fungi for successful seed germination in the wild, and describes reproducing compatible-symbiont germination under in-vitro conditions as conservation research. That is not a retail source or a home-grow kit. [Kew, In Vitro Collection]
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #3
- HARVEST POUNDS, NOT OUNCES: Our 4LB nutrient-dense grain and substrate blend is engineered for heavy, multi-flush yields — more mushrooms per bag than any standard kit. One bag. Maximum output.
- FASTEST COLONIZATION — SEE GROWTH IN DAYS: Our proprietary grain blend accelerates the natural growth cycle. Watch active mycelium establish in days and reach the harvest stage weeks ahead of standard grow kits.
- TRUE SET & FORGET — NO EQUIPMENT NEEDED: No tubs, no tents, no humidifiers. This bag creates its own self-regulating micro-climate from colonization to fruiting. Just add your culture, seal, and let it work.
- 0.2-MICRON FILTER — PROFESSIONAL AIR EXCHANGE: Our precision breathable filter patch delivers optimized gas exchange at every stage of the grow cycle — the same standard used by professional cultivation facilities.
- UNBOX & START IN 5 MINUTES: No tutorials. No extra tools. Self-healing cultivation port is ready immediately. Add your culture and you're growing — five minutes from delivery to first grow cycle.
- If you want to see one: look for reputable botanical gardens, conservation organizations, or natural-history resources that document the species and its habitat.
- If you hope to acquire one: ask a reputable botanical conservation institution about the particular species and region. Availability and legal protections vary, and the sources here do not verify either for individual species.
- Do not collect wild plants: the sources do not support wild collection as a way to obtain these specialized plants.
What scientists still do not know
Important aspects of mycoheterotrophy remain unresolved, including the costs of the symbiosis and the plants’ physiology. The 2009 review discusses these as open scientific questions, so a simple universal account of how every species interacts with its fungi would overstate what is established. [Merckx et al., 2009]
Quick Recap
Best Value
- COMPLETE 2 LB ALL-IN-ONE GROW BAG – Sterilized milo sorghum grain layered over a CVG bulk substrate in a single sealed bag. No monotub, no transfer, no extra equipment. Up to 16oz per bag across multiple flushes.
- CULTURE NOT INCLUDED – Spores and liquid cultures are sold separately. You supply the culture; the bag supplies everything else, prepped at field capacity and ready to inoculate the day it arrives.
- SEALED AND READY TO USE – Industrial 10mm heat seal, vacuum sealed before shipping, and a self-healing injection port. The extra-large 0.5-micron filter patch breathes better than a standard 0.2, so you can fruit without ever cutting the bag open.
- DOUBLE-BAGGED FOR SHIPPING – Each 3.0mil polypropylene grow bag is vacuum sealed inside a 4mil outer bag, so it arrives sterile and protected from the microtears that cause corner contamination. Substrate is coco coir, vermiculite, gypsum and azomite.
- GUARANTEED – Every bag is guaranteed. If yours does not colonize, message us through Amazon with a photo and we will make it right. Packed in-house in a commercial facility by cultivators with 30+ years of experience.
Rank #4
- 100% ORGANIC AND NON-GMO: There's no need to worry about intoxicants that may hinder your plant's growth because the Back to the Roots Mushroom Growing Kit is completely organic and not genetically modified; You can cook them however you want or add them to your favorite dishes
- GROW YOUR PLANT ALL YEAR-ROUND: This organic mushroom indoor kit allows you to grow your own crop all-year round; Just place the box near a window with indirect light, mist twice a day, and you'll see delicious, beautiful mushrooms growing within a week; Included in this kit is an organic plant-based soil infused with mushroom spawn and a booklet with instructions
- CONVENIENT AND EASY: Mushrooms are one of the easiest to grow indoors; All you need to do is open, spray daily with the included mister, and in 10 days you'll be harvesting your own mushrooms right out of the box; Each crop produces three to four servings of mushrooms, and each box can grow up two crops
- THE PERFECT GIFT: The perfect holiday gift, it comes in a beautiful packaging so that it's ready to be given to foodie, garden-loving and eco-conscious friends and family; This kit is also part of our Grow One Give One campaign, simpy share a picture on social media, tag us and use the campaign hashtag, and we'll donate a kit to a classroom of your choice
- GUARANTEED TO GROW: Made in the USA and 100% Guaranteed to grow. If you are not satisfied, simply message us and we will send you a Back To The Roots replacement
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
