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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

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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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 Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Japan, Kashmir; N Africa, W Asia - including Pakistan, Europe, North and South America.

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 itâ€™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 Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Cuscuta chinensis	Chinese Dodder	Perennial	0.0	-	LMH	SN	M	0	3
Cuscuta epithymum	Lesser Dodder	Annual	1.0	0-0	LMH	SN	M	0	2	0
Cuscuta japonica	Japanese Dodder	Annual Climber	1.0	5-9	LMH	SN	M	1	2	0
Cuscuta megalocarpa	Bigfruit Dodder	Perennial	0.0	-	LMH	SN	M	1	0
Cuscuta reflexa	Dodder, Giant dodder	Perennial	0.0	0-0	LMH	SN	M	0	2	0
Cuscuta umbellata	Flatglobe dodder		0.0	0-0	LMH	SN	M	1	0	0

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.

Cuscuta europaea - L.