Cuscuta
coral-vine, dodder, love-tangle
11 species
4 subspecies and varieties
4 subspecies and varieties
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Cuscuta approximata – alfalfa dodder
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Agricultural fields, often on alfalfa, and other disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia and northern Africa
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Agricultural fields, often on alfalfa, and other disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia and northern Africa
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
• var. approximata – alfalfa dodder
Cuscuta californica – California dodder, chaparral dodder
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; eastern Washington to California, east to Utah and Arizona.
Habitat: Drying shores, grassy slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; eastern Washington to California, east to Utah and Arizona.
Habitat: Drying shores, grassy slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
• var. californica – California dodder
Cuscuta campestris – field dodder
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to Utah and Texas; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Shores, floodplains, roadsides, ditches, fields, and other disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to Utah and Texas; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Shores, floodplains, roadsides, ditches, fields, and other disturbed areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Cuscuta cephalanthi – buttonbush dodder
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Tideflat and floodplains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Tideflat and floodplains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Cuscuta denticulata – desert dodder
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Baja California, east to Colorado.
Habitat: Parasitic on Artemisia tridentata, occasionally on other hosts in sagebrush desert.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Baja California, east to Colorado.
Habitat: Parasitic on Artemisia tridentata, occasionally on other hosts in sagebrush desert.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Cuscuta epithymum – clover dodder, common dodder, thyme dodder
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across the northern U.S. to northeastern North America.
Habitat: Parasitic on Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, etc.; dunes, floodplains, meadows, and roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across the northern U.S. to northeastern North America.
Habitat: Parasitic on Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, etc.; dunes, floodplains, meadows, and roadsides.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
• var. epithymum – clover dodder, thyme dodder
Cuscuta indecora – inelegant dodder, large-seeded dodder
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Parasitic on alfalfa, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, and Polygonaceae, etc.; floodplains, sandbars, and shores.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Parasitic on alfalfa, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, and Polygonaceae, etc.; floodplains, sandbars, and shores.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Annual
Cuscuta occidentalis – western dodder
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and Colorado.
Habitat: Seasonally wet or alkaline meadows, vernal pools, and openings.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and Colorado.
Habitat: Seasonally wet or alkaline meadows, vernal pools, and openings.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual
Cuscuta pacifica – salt marsh dodder
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest along the coast in Washington; British Columbia to Baja California.
Habitat: Coastal marshes and saltwater tideflats.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-October
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest along the coast in Washington; British Columbia to Baja California.
Habitat: Coastal marshes and saltwater tideflats.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-October
Growth Duration: Annual
• var. pacifica – Pacific dodder
Cuscuta pentagona – five-angled dodder
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Parasitic on a variety of hosts.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Parasitic on a variety of hosts.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Cuscuta suksdorfii – mountain dodder
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Parasitic on Asteraceae and Fabaceae, occasionally other families; montane pond shores, floodplains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Parasitic on Asteraceae and Fabaceae, occasionally other families; montane pond shores, floodplains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
