Field dodder
Cuscuta campestris · Convolvulaceae
Convolvulaceae family. A parasitic plant that feeds on the sap of its hosts (legumes, hemp crops, alfalfa). Recognized as an invasive weed in cultivated fields.
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around field dodder and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Type
- Hemiparasitic parasite
- Flowering
- Summer (June to September)
- Flower color
- Yellowish white, small clusters
- Growth
- Very rapid
- Hardiness
- Low hardiness, annual in temperate climates
- Origin
- Tropical and subtropical America
Care
Exposure and establishment
Field dodder is a parasitic plant that has no true roots or functional leaves. It clings to its hosts (legumes, hemp or alfalfa crops) and feeds on their sap. It thrives in full sun and in cultivated areas. This plant is considered an invasive weed in fields.
Control and elimination
As a parasite, field dodder should be eliminated rather than cultivated. To control it, manually remove parasitic plants before flowering and fruiting. Avoid letting seeds disperse by wind or farm equipment. In organic farming, crop rotation and early elimination of infestations are essential.
Pests and management
Field dodder itself does not suffer from common diseases. However, it seriously weakens its host plants by draining their sap, which can cause decline and significantly reduce agricultural yields. Regular monitoring of crops is crucial to detect early infestation.
Substrate and growing conditions
Field dodder adapts to various soil types, but thrives particularly in nitrogen-rich fields. It prefers warm environments and dense crops where it easily finds host plants. Any soil cultivated with legumes or other susceptible crops can be colonized.
Nutrition and growth
No fertilizer application is recommended as this parasitic plant derives all its nutrients from its hosts. Enriching the soil can actually promote its proliferation by strengthening the plants it parasitizes. Management is done instead by reducing targeted nitrogen fertility on host species.
Did you know?
Field dodder is one of the oldest and most feared plant parasites of farmers: it has destroyed massive crops since antiquity. It is so invasive that its presence in a seed harvest can render it unfit for sale. Fascinating from a botanical perspective, it has neither roots nor leaves, and feeds entirely through suckers that pierce the stems of its victims.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Kidney weedDichondra repens
- Blue rock bindweedConvolvulus sabatius
- Pink EarFalkia repens
- SilverbushConvolvulus cneorum
- Field bindweedConvolvulus arvensis
- Hedge bindweedCalystegia sepium
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.