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Dodder (Strangulation Vine)

A stringy, yellow-orange vine with no apparent leaves or flowers is killing other plants.

This is field dodder, a parasitic plant which attaches to leaves and branches. Dodder seedlings are difficult to find, but if they are observed before they attach to a host, remove them by hand-pulling. If dodder is observed soon after attachment, prune the infected portion of the host plant 1/8 to 1/4 inch below the point of attachment, otherwise the dodder may regenerate from the haustoria left embedded in the host plant. Pruning of trees and shrubs generally has been of little benefit unless dodder is confined to one or two branches that can be removed without destroying or disfiguring the whole host plant. Generally chemical control is not necessary in the home garden and landscape; dodder can be controlled for the most part with hand-removal, or pruning. The dodder seedlings can be sprayed. In the home garden, household vinegar (acetic acid) can be used.

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