Zombie Plants: When Nature Gets Creepy

By N

Published 27th June

Similar to horror movies, organisms can be taken over and ‘zombified’. Despite sounding like a haunting science fiction plot, this is a very real yet creepy phenomenon of zombie plants. Thankfully, a zombie plant is not the same type of zombie that we see in different fictional media. However, similar to how a virus, bite, or infection controls people in zombie movies, these plants are real-life victims of different mind-controlling parasites, dangerous fungi, and mind-altering viruses. These plants are at the mercy of another organism, such as a parasite, virus, or fungi, that invade and destroy the host plant’s cells and organs, sidetrack their growth, and start infections.

An example of a virus that can manipulate a plant is the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus. The tomato yellow leaf curl virus can infect over 25+ plants, but is known due to its effects on tomato yields. The main symptoms of TYLCV are that the smaller leaves in tomato plants turn yellow, hence the implication within the name. Originating in the Mediterranean circa 1960 and spreading, TYLCV has become a massive issue for tomato production and farmers. This zombie-like virus is hard to detect due to its similarity to other conditions, like phosphate or magnesium deficiency within plants. The virus is harmful and considered parasitic due to its damage and manipulation of tomato plants and crops, as it alters the shape and colour of the plant. It is seen as a zombie-like infection because the virus tricks the plant into spreading it through tiny bugs, which then fly from plant to plant.  

Another example of a zombie-like plant is the dodder (genus Cuscuta), which wraps itself around the host plant and steals its nutrients, gene expression, and immune system. The dodder is considered a zombie-like parasite because it has no chlorophyll and ingests its food and nutrients by using its roots to attack the host plant and steal its food. It essentially takes over the host plant’s body and kills it slowly.

Despite being a super interesting topic, zombie plants are highly deadly and dangerous for our environment as they tear through ecosystems, crops, and farmland. By studying them, scientists can learn more about invasive species, gene control and expression, plant immunity, and mind-controlling organisms. 

Works Cited

Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. “Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus - Agriculture.” Agriculture Victoria, 1 Oct. 2021, agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/plant-diseases/vegetable-diseases/tomato-yellow-leaf-curl-virus.

“Dodder | Description, Parasitism, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/plant/dodder.

Greenwood, Veronique. “This Parasite Turns Plants into Zombies.” The New York Times, 1 Oct. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/10/01/science/zombie-plants-parasites.html.

“Plants Can Be Turned into Zombies.” Basf.com, 2021, agriculture.basf.com/global/en/media/public-government-affairs/did-you-know/stories/plants-can-be-turned-into-zombies. Accessed 16 May 2025.

Riley, Alex. “Resurrection Plants: The Drought-Resistant ‘Zombie Plants’ That Come Back from the Dead.” BBC.com, BBC, 19 Mar. 2025, www.bbc.com/future/article/20250318-resurrection-plants-the-drought-resistant-zombie-plants-that-come-back-from-the-dead.

Williams, Eirwen. “Scientists Stunned” – These Giant Zombie Plants Are Thriving and Spreading in Extreme Climate Chaos.” Sustainability Times, 23 Mar. 2025, www.sustainability-times.com/climate/scientists-stunned-these-giant-zombie-plants-are-thriving-and-spreading-in-extreme-climate-chaos/. Accessed 16 May 2025.

“Wily Bacteria Create ‘Zombie’ Plants.” Science News Explores, 23 Apr. 2014, www.snexplores.org/article/wily-bacteria-create-zombie-plants. Accessed 16 May 2025.