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Cuscuta europaea - L.

Common Name Greater dodder
Family
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Open grassy localities, streamsides and hilly areas at elevations of 800 - 3,100 metres in China[266].
Range Europe to North Africa and eastern Asia.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Cuscuta europaea Greater dodder


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:106_Cuscuta_europaea.jpg
Cuscuta europaea Greater dodder
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LycaonCuscuta japonica

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 
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.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


The entire plant is used in Tibetan medicine, where it is considered to have a bitter, acrid and sweet taste with a heating potency[241]. 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[241].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

241 This is a parasitic species that is devoid of leaves, roots or chlorophyll and so is totally dependant upon its host[238]. 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[238, 245]. It Britain it is found most commonly growing on the roots of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) and hops (Humulus lupulus)[17], 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[266].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

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.

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russian Federation (Primorye, Sakhalin), China (Gansu Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Qinghai Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Spain, France AFRICA: Algeria

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

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.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Cuscuta chinensisChinese DodderPerennial0.0 -  LMHSNM03 
Cuscuta epithymumLesser DodderAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHSNM020
Cuscuta japonicaJapanese DodderAnnual Climber1.0 5-9  LMHSNM120
Cuscuta megalocarpaBigfruit DodderPerennial0.0 -  LMHSNM10 
Cuscuta reflexaDodder, Giant dodderPerennial0.0 0-0  LMHSNM020
Cuscuta umbellataFlatglobe dodder 0.0 0-0  LMHSNM100

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

17266

Links / References

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