Unfortunately, that's all he told me. Every now and then I was able to untangle my plants from the stranglehold of this sickly yellow spaghetti-like vine that has no roots. It always came back, almost with a vengeance. Severe dodder infestations result in the production of a dense mat of yellowish to orange, leafless, threadlike branching vines which can stunt, weaken, or kill herbaceous host plants. Its eerie color results from a lack of chlorophyll, and, hence, its inability to photosynthesize.
Dodder reproduces by seed.
Infestations can last for many years because the seeds have a hard seed coat which delays germination. Although the seeds may remain dormant for five years or more, many germinate within the first few years after development, usually from April to October. When a dodder seed germinates, the seedling looks like a yellow threadlike stem. As the stem elongates, it rotates in a counter-clockwise direction in search of a host. Once a host is found, usually within 1 to 3 inches of the seedling, it twines tightly around the stem or petiole of the host.