Common Dodder or Love Vine [Cuscuta gronovii] found near the Blue Ridge Parkway, milepost 437, Glassy Mine Overlook, along the roadsideon 30 July 2016. It’s a member of the Dodder (Cuscutaceae) family. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 322-323, says it’s a parasitic plant, that “tightly twines around the stems of other plants and absorbs their sap through tiny suckers,” and that blooms in Summer and Fall. It’s also named Scaldweed on the USDA web site.
USDA Plants Listing: Cuscuta gronovii
Common Dodder – 30 July 2016
