Spooky looking plants you can find in West Virginia

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — These plants are perfect for Halloween, and while some are only scary-looking, others can be deadly.

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

Although not technically a plant, this type of slime mold resembles a disturbing Halloween decoration, dog vomit or scrambled eggs. It can be found in damp and wet areas, especially where there is mulch or decaying plants, in West Virginia and across most of the eastern U.S. The question 'what is it?' is a little complicated; it's not a plant, animal, or fungus, but it is harmless if you find it in your yard and can be beneficial to biodiversity.

Purple Pitcher Plants

Purple pitcher plants are one of the only carnivorous plants in West Virginia . Found mostly in the state's Cranberry Glades, pitcher plants entice insects to climb inside their water-filled pitcher-shaped leaves with sweet nectar and then trap them inside before digesting them. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), several species of microorganisms live in the pitchers, feeding off the nutrients of the decaying bugs.

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Ghost Pipe

Ghost pipes are plants with no chlorophyll—the green pigment found in most plants—so they have a ghostly appearance. Instead of getting nutrients from the sun, these parasitic plants pull nutrients from the roots of trees growing around them, according to the USDA . They can be found in deep shady woods across most of the U.S., including West Virginia.

Doll's Eyes

White baneberry has berries resembling doll's eyes that grow from red stalks, earning it the spooky nickname. And rightfully so; all parts of the plant are highly poisonous, especially the berries and roots. It can be found in West Virginia's higher-elevation counties and in most states on the East Coast.