Blue-flowered orobanche, Temegen sull
Orobanche coerulescens

Family: Orobanchaceae

What it is like

A parasitic herb. It grows on Artemisia species. It grows 15-40 cm high. It is fleshy. It appears at the flowering stage. It has a stout, short underground stem. The flowers are bluish-purple. They grow in spikes at the top of the plant. These are 5-10 cm long. Individual flowers have a bract around them.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is native to semi-desert areas in eastern Asia. It grows on sandy and exposed hillsides. It can grow in arid places. In Inner Mongolia. In north China it grows between 900-4,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, Europe, Himalayas, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tibet, Turkmenistan

How it is used for food

The above ground parts of the plant are used for a drink. The young plants are gathered, steamed, dried and used for tea. They are also cooked with lamb for soup.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Temeen suul

Synonyms

Orobanche ammophyla C. A. Mey.;