ExplorePlants

Field Dodder

Cuscuta campestris

Field Dodder is a unique plant that doesn't have leaves or roots like most plants. Instead, it wraps around other plants to get nutrients and water. It has thin, yellow-orange stems that look like spaghetti!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Field Dodder is a thin, thread-like plant with distinct yellowish-orange or reddish stems that intricately twine around other plants. It famously lacks noticeable leaves and appears as a tangled mass, often compared to spaghetti or yarn. Its tiny, white to cream-colored flowers bloom in dense clusters along the stems, making it visually distinct from most green-leaved plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderSolanalesFamilyConvolvulaceaeGenusCuscuta
Field Dodder
flowering trait badgegrassland trait badgerapid_growing trait badgesymbiotic trait badge
Field Dodder

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Field Dodder's seeds can stay alive in the soil for over ten years, patiently waiting to sprout!

It hardly has any green! It mostly relies on other plants for almost all of its food.

Its tiny seedlings can wiggle around for days, searching for a host plant to grow on!

Many people call it 'Witch's Hair' or 'Devil's Guts' because of its tangled, stringy look!

Special abilities

Ability

Host Hunter

Field Dodder can detect chemical signals from nearby plants, helping it find and attach to a suitable host.

Ability

Vampire Vine

Field Dodder has special suckers called haustoria that pierce host plants to steal their nutrients and water.

Ability

Rootless Wonder

Field Dodder cuts off its connection to the ground once it has successfully latched onto a host plant.

Measurements & details

Height
50-300 cm
Spread
100-500 cm
Flower Size
0.2-0.4 cm
Bloom Season
Summer to fall
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Do not touch or eat any plants without asking an adult first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is Field Dodder?

50-300 cm

How wide does Field Dodder spread?

100-500 cm

How big are the flowers on Field Dodder?

0.2-0.4 cm

When does Field Dodder bloom?

Summer to fall

Is Field Dodder edible?

No

Is Field Dodder toxic?

None

What is Field Dodder's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Field Dodder pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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