Dodder anyone?
 

G'day all...

Does anyone, Jim, Nina??? know anything about Dodder...cuscutaceae or
convolvulaceae?

Is there any reason to be concerned for our bonsai?

I spotted it last year along side the county road (4 miles or so from home)
that gets us to Tucson. It appeared to have attacked the native Turpentine
Bush...I have four in my collection. Now, I have spotted one infected Turp on
adjoining property...about 200 yards from my bonsai haven (or is that heaven?).

Dodder is a leafless annual parisite...lacks chlorofyll, yellow to bright
orange...that twines over host plants, creating a mass of smothering growth.
To me, it looks like spagetti squash growing wild outside of the shell
(gourd?). It reproduces by seed, and seeds can survive several years before
sprouting.

Dodder, one species or another, infests vegetable crops, alpha, hay, bushes
(Turpintine)...and more. It will weaken and kill host plants. It can be found
in all zones, and is, apparantly, a world wide problem for farmers.

How concerned should I be?

Pat...vox clamantis in deserto...
Dez of the Arizona High Dezert, at 4550', Oracle, AZ,
2000' above Tucson Sunset Zone 10 USDA Zone 8
aka: Pat Patterson 'riding off in all directions'