Orobanche - CALIFORNIA FOLKS

penstemon penstemon@Q.com
Sun, 22 Feb 2015 11:36:52 PST
I have just "discovered" this crazy plant - and am interested in getting
seeds of this - O. bulbosa or O. californica, or both. Could somebody help?

You need a host plant, first. Adenostoma fasciculatum. 
Orobanches are true parasites and will not survive unless they can develop haustoria very quickly after germination, in order to attach themselves to the host plant. Unlike, say, castilleja, which can survive without a host. 
The seeds are practically invisible. You can probably collect seed, though not on a windy day. 
Bob Nold
Denver, Colorado, USA
(I grew up in California, which is why I responded.)



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