Plant ID

[robinm]

I took this photo on the North Norfolk coast this last weekend. I know less than nothing about plants but would be interested to know what the red "filament" plant on the gorse is.

Thanks,

[steve_nova]

This is a Dodder, a very interesting plant as it is a parastite obtaining it's mineral nutrients and water from the host plant. It completely lacks chlorophyll and has the tiniest of ancestral leaves (if any at all).

There are two species in Britain, Lesser and greater Dodder. I think that this is probably Greater.

[steve_nova]

Go to this excellent site for info on all the major groups of plants that have evolved parasitic forms. http://www.science.siu.edu/parasitic-plants/

Scroll down the page till you get to the Solanales/Convolvulaceae.

[robinm]

Thanks Steve

[cjay]

Yes I agree with Steve nova it is greater Dodder. There are twelve records for this species in Norfolk.

CJ

[Draco]

I just got back from vacation (holiday) and found the D@^N stuff choking out a couple of my wildflower areas in my yard. Ours is bright orange and I want to kill it before it flowers and seeds! I've heard that only freezing, or fire will kill it. Somebody said that 2-4-D might work. Does anyone know for sure?

Mark

[cjay]

I dont think we are in the market for destroying plants with chemicals on this site.

However you could try pulling it off by hand.

CJ

[Draco]

and I got balls of it as big as softballs without making a dent in it. Remember, this stuff doesn't have roots. If you leave an inch of it you might as well leave it all. You could try to pull lichen off of a rock, too, but it would be just about as easy as pulling this off of a plant. I'm sure that you have never seen it, other than in photos. It wraps around a plant tighter than you could imagine. I could just let it go to seed and forget about the thousands of wildflowers that I have. I'm sure that if I let it go it would start to destroy hundreds of dollars worth of perennials, too! Do you let weeds grow in your garden and allow them to overtake your plants, collin j? I can provide you with links from many countries that support any way to get rid of this parasite as soon as it is found.

Mark

[cjay]

Sorry

[Draco]

Apology accepted.

I shouldn't have gone off, but if you knew what I'm losing you would know why I HATE Dodder so much. I have a beautiful, natural, wildflower garden that used to sport thousands of orange Touch-Me-Not blossums, along with a variety of other nice plants. It is gone. One side of my yard that contained many of the same plants is gone. If I can get back what I have lost in three, or four years I'll be happy.

Peace,
Mark

[steve_nova]

Draco, why don't you contact Dan Nickrent at the site that I posted further up the page. I'm sure he will be able to help. He seems a friendly and helpful guy when I have had correspondence with him in the past.

[Draco]

At first glance it looks like a fantastic site. I do not have good weather to treat my infestation yet, so this may give me a better idea on how to handle my problem. I'm sorry that I didn't check the link that you provided earlier! It looked like a link to something that wouldn't help me eradicate this "monster". I appreciate the kick in the rear!!!

Mark

[walwyn]

I suspect that pouring chemicals over it will kill the host plants too. But never mind, an old gardener once told me:


If you come across a really effective poison, hebicide or insecticide buy as much of it as you can. Because there is a good chance that when you need some the following the year the 'tree huggers' will have been at work and had it banned.


Sound advice.

[birdman]

Draco,

I've just done a bit of looking on the web, and although I couldn't find anything specific, I did come across a bit of general advice that might help you in your situation.

Obviously, I don't know a great deal about your garden, but I expect you can apply this method to your circumstances.

Essentially, it seems, the most effective way of eradicating Dodder is to remove its host.

If you can identify the host, and can live with losing this as well, then maybe you have a hope!

Apparently, any seedlings that are set that do not find a suitable host will soon die - although seeds themselves can remain dormant until a suitable host occurs - so you may have to live without the host for ever!

[Draco]

I knew that the hosts would have to go , one way or another. That is the most unfortunate part of this. I have spent five years pulling anything that didn't flower well and allowing native wildflowers to move in. The only addition that wasn't seeded by nature were a couple of ferns that I didn't have another place for. They are dwarfed (or were) by mid-summer, by the other plants. The hosts are a variety of wildflowers, but primarily a wild Touch-Me-Not.

This Dodder basically "roots" itself in the hosts. I took some photos last evening and will post some soon.

The other unfortunate part of this is that I'd bet a BIRD is responsible for this stuff getting into my yard!!!

Mark

[birdman]

All the best, Mark

:t: