Search Plants
Try for Free
English
About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Dodder (Cuscuta)
Recognizable by their twining, yellowish stems, dodder are a large genus of parasitic plants. They twist themselves around host plants and penetrate their stems, absorbing water and nutrients. They can damage arable crops and trees. The U.S. state of California has an eradication program for these troublesome parasites. 
Lifespan
Annual
Key Facts About Dodder
Feedback
Attributes of Dodder
Flower Color
White
Yellow
Green
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Dodder
Distribution of Dodder
Feedback
Distribution Map of Dodder
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Dodder
Feedback
Dodder refers to a group of parasitic plants that thrive by attaching to host plants and extracting nutrients. They do not require traditional care like many other plants, as they lack chlorophyll and depend on hosts for sustenance. Basic care needs are unique; instead of soil, they need a suitable host plant, and maintenance involves managing their growth to prevent harm to the hosts. Common challenges include controlling the spread and preventing infestations. Seasonal considerations largely depend on the lifecycle of the host plant, as dodder can overtake and damage crops or ornamental plants primarily during the growing season.
How to Water Dodder?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Dodder?
How to Propagate Dodder?
How to Plant Dodder?
Exploring the Dodder Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Japanese dodder
Japanese dodder is a parasitic vine with slender, twining stems that lack chlorophyll, giving it a yellow or orange appearance. Its small, bell-shaped flowers are white or pale pink, and it invades host plants, drawing nutrients through haustoria. Thriving in various environments, japanese dodder can severely affect agricultural crops by siphoning essential resources, leading to reduced yields.
Clover dodder
Clover dodder is a parasitic plant which adopts a range of hosts, including crop plants, and is prohibited entry by many countries. ‘Parasite of Orchards’ is the name given to it in Pakistan. Clover dodder is an annual herb which attracts Gatekeeper butterflies.
Chaparral dodder
Chaparral dodder (Cuscuta californica) is a parasitic vining plant that is native to western North America. Like other species of dodder, it is often considered a noxious weed that can interfere with local agriculture, particularly cash crops like alfalfa and flax. The plant has been used traditionally in Chinese medicine.
Scaldweed
Growing mostly in temperate forest habitats, this parasitic plant grows throughout all of North America and has been naturalized in several European countries. The common hosts of scaldweed are spotted touch-me-not, false nettle, wood nettle, square-stemmed monkeyflower, and ditch stonecrop. Scaldweed has normal roots, but the suckers penetrate into a host and take its nutrients.
Fiveangled dodder
Fiveangled dodder is a parasitic plant that is widespread across North America. At maturity, the plant consists only of thread-like stems and small white flowers that turn into tiny fruits. It has no root system and is completely dependent on the host plant. Unlike most Cuscuta pentagona, the fiveangled dodder is not a specialized parasite and can utilize a wide range of herbaceous plant species.
Compact dodder
Compact dodder (Cuscuta compacta) is a parasitic plant that spreads vines across the woody surfaces of its host plant. It can be found across North America, but has also spread to parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Compact dodder parasitizes many woody species but is of particular concern among blueberry farmers.
Small-seed alfalfa dodder
Small-seed alfalfa dodder can be found growing in plains, grasslands, and other open areas, producing clusters of flowers in the spring and summer. It is a parasitic species that grows off of other plants for nutrients and moisture.
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens (Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens) is a flowering plant that has an unusual growth pattern with long filaments spreading over globular brown and white pods. The specific epithet, scandens, means "climbing" in Latin and refers to the plant's climbing growth.
All Species of Dodder
Japanese dodder
Japanese dodder
Japanese dodder is a parasitic vine with slender, twining stems that lack chlorophyll, giving it a yellow or orange appearance. Its small, bell-shaped flowers are white or pale pink, and it invades host plants, drawing nutrients through haustoria. Thriving in various environments, japanese dodder can severely affect agricultural crops by siphoning essential resources, leading to reduced yields.
Clover dodder
Clover dodder
Clover dodder is a parasitic plant which adopts a range of hosts, including crop plants, and is prohibited entry by many countries. ‘Parasite of Orchards’ is the name given to it in Pakistan. Clover dodder is an annual herb which attracts Gatekeeper butterflies.
Chaparral dodder
Chaparral dodder
Chaparral dodder (Cuscuta californica) is a parasitic vining plant that is native to western North America. Like other species of dodder, it is often considered a noxious weed that can interfere with local agriculture, particularly cash crops like alfalfa and flax. The plant has been used traditionally in Chinese medicine.
Scaldweed
Scaldweed
Growing mostly in temperate forest habitats, this parasitic plant grows throughout all of North America and has been naturalized in several European countries. The common hosts of scaldweed are spotted touch-me-not, false nettle, wood nettle, square-stemmed monkeyflower, and ditch stonecrop. Scaldweed has normal roots, but the suckers penetrate into a host and take its nutrients.
Fiveangled dodder
Fiveangled dodder
Fiveangled dodder is a parasitic plant that is widespread across North America. At maturity, the plant consists only of thread-like stems and small white flowers that turn into tiny fruits. It has no root system and is completely dependent on the host plant. Unlike most Cuscuta pentagona, the fiveangled dodder is not a specialized parasite and can utilize a wide range of herbaceous plant species.
Compact dodder
Compact dodder
Compact dodder (Cuscuta compacta) is a parasitic plant that spreads vines across the woody surfaces of its host plant. It can be found across North America, but has also spread to parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America. Compact dodder parasitizes many woody species but is of particular concern among blueberry farmers.
Small-seed alfalfa dodder
Small-seed alfalfa dodder
Small-seed alfalfa dodder can be found growing in plains, grasslands, and other open areas, producing clusters of flowers in the spring and summer. It is a parasitic species that grows off of other plants for nutrients and moisture.
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens (Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens) is a flowering plant that has an unusual growth pattern with long filaments spreading over globular brown and white pods. The specific epithet, scandens, means "climbing" in Latin and refers to the plant's climbing growth.
Salt marsh dodder
Salt marsh dodder
Salt marsh dodder is a parasitic plant. It wraps its orange stems around the nearest host plant and absorbs its nutrients to survive. Though it eventually kills its host plant, this slender vine provides an abundance of food for pollinators and small mammals and birds. Salt marsh dodder was named for its ability to thrive in salty marshes.
Flax dodder
Flax dodder
Flax silk is a one-year herbaceous plant. It has neither roots nor leaves, the stem is 76 to 127 cm long and 0.5 to 1 millimeters thick, un-branched or slightly branched and, being completely without chlorophyll, of pale yellowish color.
Chinese dodder
Chinese dodder
Chinese dodder is a parasitic vine with thin, twining stems, often noticeably yellow or orange. It lacks leaves and possesses small, bell-shaped flowers, enabling it to draw nutrients only from host plants. This adaptation reflects a survival strategy reliant on its environment, where it weaves through vegetation, seeking sustenance without the need for photosynthesis.
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Botanist in your pocket
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Dodder
Cuscuta
Recognizable by their twining, yellowish stems, dodder are a large genus of parasitic plants. They twist themselves around host plants and penetrate their stems, absorbing water and nutrients. They can damage arable crops and trees. The U.S. state of California has an eradication program for these troublesome parasites.
Lifespan
Annual
Key Facts About Dodder
Feedback
Attributes of Dodder
Flower Color
White
Yellow
Green
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Dodder
Distribution of Dodder
Feedback
Distribution Map of Dodder
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Dodder
Feedback
Dodder refers to a group of parasitic plants that thrive by attaching to host plants and extracting nutrients. They do not require traditional care like many other plants, as they lack chlorophyll and depend on hosts for sustenance. Basic care needs are unique; instead of soil, they need a suitable host plant, and maintenance involves managing their growth to prevent harm to the hosts. Common challenges include controlling the spread and preventing infestations. Seasonal considerations largely depend on the lifecycle of the host plant, as dodder can overtake and damage crops or ornamental plants primarily during the growing season.
How to Water Dodder?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Dodder?
How to Propagate Dodder?
How to Plant Dodder?
Exploring the Dodder Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Japanese dodder
Japanese dodder is a parasitic vine with slender, twining stems that lack chlorophyll, giving it a yellow or orange appearance. Its small, bell-shaped flowers are white or pale pink, and it invades host plants, drawing nutrients through haustoria. Thriving in various environments, japanese dodder can severely affect agricultural crops by siphoning essential resources, leading to reduced yields.
Clover dodder
Clover dodder is a parasitic plant which adopts a range of hosts, including crop plants, and is prohibited entry by many countries. ‘Parasite of Orchards’ is the name given to it in Pakistan. Clover dodder is an annual herb which attracts Gatekeeper butterflies.
Chaparral dodder
Chaparral dodder (Cuscuta californica) is a parasitic vining plant that is native to western North America. Like other species of dodder, it is often considered a noxious weed that can interfere with local agriculture, particularly cash crops like alfalfa and flax. The plant has been used traditionally in Chinese medicine.
Scaldweed
Growing mostly in temperate forest habitats, this parasitic plant grows throughout all of North America and has been naturalized in several European countries. The common hosts of scaldweed are spotted touch-me-not, false nettle, wood nettle, square-stemmed monkeyflower, and ditch stonecrop. Scaldweed has normal roots, but the suckers penetrate into a host and take its nutrients.
Show More Species
All Species of Dodder
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
