Cuscuta australis, commonly known as Australian dodder, is a herb in the family Convolvulaceae.The annual parasitic twining herb or climber that is associated with many hosts. It blooms between November and March producing 5-merous white-cream-yellow flowers in compact clusters on pedicels which are less than 2.5 millimetres (0.1 in) long. The lobes are rounded-triangular and shorter than or equal in length to the corolla tube. It parasitises both native and exotic plants. To maximize its seed yield, it synchronizes its flowering to that of its host plant via detection of a signaling protein in the host.
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens is resistant to diseases and, in general, is not susceptible to them. As for care, this plant is fairly low maintenance. When grown outdoors it needs only light watering, and larger specimens typically do not require pruning. Smaller plants, however, should be pruned after they finish blooming. Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandenst is suitable for anyone with an outdoor area, such as a garden or deck, and does not demand much plant-care experience.
How to keep Cuscuta Australis.
Light
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens is native to open habitats, for example sunny meadows and forest margins, which provide abundant light. It performs best in Full Sun but will also tolerate Partial Sun, adapting well to various light conditions.
Temperature
Cuscuta scandens subsp. scandens comes from tropical areas, where the climate is generally warm and humid. Therefore, it is adapted to high heat and moisture. It does not tolerate abrupt temperature changes and favors a consistent thermal environment, so avoiding indoor temperature swings is important. It generally cannot withstand cold conditions and needs warmer temperatures to grow. If the surrounding temperature becomes too low, growth can stop and the plant may die.
Botanical profile.
- Plant Type
- Vine
- Life Cycle
- Annual
- Genus
- Cuscuta
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Hardiness Zone
- 8-11
- Mature Height
- 0.91 m to 3.05 m
- Mature Spread
- 49 cm to 91 cm
- Leaf Color
- Green, Blue
- Leaf Type
- Deciduous
- Flower Color
- White
- Flower Size
- 0.25 cm to 0.51 cm
- Bloom Time
- Summer, Early fall, Mid fall
- Planting Time
- Spring, Summer
- Harvest Time
- Late summer, Fall, Early winter
- Native Area
- Burkina Faso, India, Turkey, Malaysia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Australia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Russia, Benin, Sierra Leone, Indonesia, Cameroon, Liberia, Koppen, Ghana, Ethiopia, South Korea, Botswana, Portugal, France, Tajikistan, South Africa, Zambia, Sudan, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Greece, Guinea, China, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia, Côte d'Ivoire, Iran, Turkmenistan
