What recurring Metroid boss is a giant plant first fought in Super Metroid?

Spore Spawn is the giant plant-like miniboss first fought in Super Metroid.

Samus encounters Spore Spawn in Brinstar, one of Zebes’s overgrown regions. The creature swings across the chamber while smaller plants release harmful spores, forcing the player to watch the arena and attack its exposed core when the shell opens. Defeating it grants access to the area containing Super Missiles.

Spore Spawn is often described as a boss, although the game treats it more precisely as a miniboss. Its battle is remembered for its unusual pendulum-like movement and for introducing an early upgrade-focused encounter rather than a major story confrontation.

The wording “recurring” can cause confusion: Spore Spawn is strongly associated with Super Metroid, while later Metroid games use other plant-based enemies and bosses, such as Flaahgra in Metroid Prime. It should not be confused with Kraid, Phantoon or Crocomire, all of which are distinct Super Metroid bosses.