Greater dodder
Cuscuta europaea
Family:
What it is like
Cuscuta europaea is a ANNUAL. It is in flower from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Open grassy localities, streamsides and hilly areas at elevations of 800 - 3,100 metres in China.
Europe to North Africa and eastern Asia.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
Japan, Kashmir; N Africa, W Asia - including Pakistan, Europe, North and South America.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have a bitter, acrid and sweet taste with a heating potency. It is aphrodisiac, renal and a hepatic tonic, being used to increase semen, to treat pain in the wrist and limbs, vaginal/seminal discharge, polyuria, tinnitus and blurred vision.
Other
Rating: 0
How it is grown
241 This is a parasitic species that is devoid of leaves, roots or chlorophyll and so is totally dependant upon its host. A climbing plant, it must be grown close to a host plant around which it will twine itself and which it will penetrate with suckers in order to obtain nutriment. It Britain it is found most commonly growing on the roots of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) and hops (Humulus lupulus), whilst in China it is found mainly on plants in the families Composite, Leguminosae and Chenopodiaceae, though it can also be found on many other herbaceous plants.
Propagating it:
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Annual
Hardiness: 0-0
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Listed as a noxious weed in 13 U.S. States. Not proved to be a highly invasive species, but there are very significant risks of accidental introduction with contaminated crop seed and any such introduction could cause serious crop damage, and prejudice options for trading crop produce.
Its other names
Local names
European dodder, greater dodder French: cuscute d'Europe. China: ou zhou to si zi. Czech Republic: kokotice evropska. Germany: Europäische Seide. Italy: cuscuta. Japan: kushironenashikazura. Netherlands: groot warkruid. Spain: cabellos de venus. Sweden: naesselsnaerja.