Chaparral dodder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chaparral dodder
Scientific classification
Genus:	Cuscuta
Species:	californica

Cuscuta californica is a special kind of plant often called chaparral dodder or California dodder. It's found in western North America. This plant is unique because it's a parasite. This means it gets its food and water from other plants, instead of making its own like most plants do.

How Does California Dodder Look and Grow?

California dodder looks like a tangled mess of yellow-orange spaghetti or straw. It wraps tightly around other plants. This plant is mostly made of stems. Its leaves are very tiny, like scales on the stem. This is because the dodder doesn't need big leaves to make its own food. It gets all its nutrients from its host plant.

How it Gets Food

The dodder uses special parts called haustoria to connect to its host plant. Think of haustoria like tiny straws that poke into the host plant. They suck out the water and nutrients the dodder needs to live.

Flowers and Fruits

This plant has very small white flowers. They are only about 3 millimeters wide, which is tiny! The fruits are even smaller than the flowers.

Where Does California Dodder Live?

You can find California dodder in grassland and chaparral areas. Chaparral is a type of shrubland common in California. It also grows in places where the ground has been disturbed, like along roadsides.

Is it a Problem Plant?

Like many other dodder species, California dodder is sometimes called a noxious weed. This means it can be a nuisance. It can harm the plants it grows on by taking their nutrients. Farmers or gardeners might not want it growing in their fields or gardens.

Images for kids

• 

  A close-up view of the tiny flowers on California dodder.