In article ,
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

In article ,
"Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\)" writes:
|
| I grow reasonable clumps of ivy broomrape (orobanche hederae) on the
| ivy growing on some of my trees. Its a root parasite of ivy.
| You don't actually see anything until it flowers - when it looks like
| some kind of orchid. Seed from Chiltern.
|
| John that's going to cost me money Chiltern here I come. I've had a look
| at the description and it sounds like it grows in the ground as tubers?
| I assume from what you say that it can be treated as an epiphytic type
| thing way up in the branches of an ivy clad tree.

No, it's a root parasite. It builds tubers from what it takes from the
roots, and the flowers arise from those - according to CTW.


Definitely a root parasite. If you gently dig near the flowers there
are tubers/haustoria about the size of small new potatoes.

Kewl!!!! Was it easy to grow??

Stunningly easy, though you need patience.
I bought a packet (or two, forget now) of seed from
Chiltern. It was fine-ish so I probably mixed it with a bit of
fine dry sand so I could see what I was doing. Dug round the roots
of the ivy till I exposed some fibrous roots and sprinkled the seed
sand mix in. Covered it up and forgot about it. Assumed it didn't
work. A couple of years later I noticed these odd looking pinky brown
flower spikes round the base of the ivy in summer. Later in the year
the flower spikes had dried - and hey guess what, more seed.
So now I've managed to develop three or four colonies around my site
and maybe more are busy developing underground.
Sadly, it appears to have no impact whatever on the vigour of the ivy.

Having said that, I have talked to other people who've tried it with no
success at all. Maybe it particularly likes my soil/site which is
free draining 10cm soil on a rubble base at an incline of thirty degrees.

If you put "orobanche hederae" into google images you'll get lots of
pictures. When I said they were like orchids I meant things like common
spotted orchid rather than those huge garish things that live on trees
in jungles.

Flushed by the success with this, I've also tried Purple Toothwort
(Lathraea clandestina) on the roots of goat willow - without any
sign of success yet. It grows at a number of sites within 50km of me
so it should be OK. RHS Hyde Hall
http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/garden...hallpom04apr.a
sp have the useful tip; -
"This is not the plant of choice for instant effect in the garden as it
is sometimes 10 years before a flowering shoot emerges above the ground."