Orobanche minor
Orobanche minor · Orobanchaceae
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant orobanche minor: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous, reduced to scales
- Flowering
- April to July depending on region
- Mature size
- 20 to 60 cm in height
- Growth
- Rapid under parasitic conditions
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (down to -15 °C)
- Origin
- Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa
- Soil type
- Indifferent (root parasite)
Care
Light exposure
Clover broomrape is not cultivated in the classical sense: it establishes itself as a parasite on the roots of clover, alfalfa and other legumes. It requires no direct light for photosynthesis, as it depends entirely on its host plant.
Habitat and substrate
This plant establishes itself only on clover or legume crops. It prefers well-drained soils where its hosts thrive. Without its host plant, no development occurs.
Watering
No specific watering is necessary since broomrape absorbs water through the roots of its host plant. In case of drought, the host suffers first and the broomrape declines with it.
Pruning and management
No pruning is relevant. If you wish to control it (as it can weaken crops), pull the plant out before flowering or cut the flower stems before seed capsule formation.
Nutrition
Broomrape receives no direct fertilizer: it feeds through its host. Improving soil fertility indirectly benefits the host plant, and therefore also the broomrape.
Problems and impact
Clover broomrape is itself an agronomic problem: it parasitizes and weakens legume crops. Few diseases directly affect it. Crop rotation and choice of resistant varieties remain the best controls.
Did you know?
Clover broomrape is a chlorophyll-free plant that has fascinated botanists since antiquity: Theophrastus already mentioned it under the name 'poira'. This obligate parasite has lost the ability to live independently through evolution, making it both remarkable and dreaded by farmers, as it can significantly reduce yields of legume crops in temperate regions.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
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Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.