I have a perennial basil which looked very healthy when I bought it at the local market a few weeks ago; after 4-5 days I discovered some strange yellow-whitish thin strands which were quickly almost covering the plant, and after some searching, I found that the basil was infested with the parasitic plant,
Cuscuta epithymum, dodder, or in Greek
Κουσκούτα or
Μαλλιά του Διαβόλου - the devil’s hair. I immediately quarantined it and made as much pesto as we can possibly eat, and I am going to get rid of the plant in a safe place. I have never seen it before and I wonder if this a common parasitic plant in Greece?
P7086528.jpg by
Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr
P7086522.jpg by
Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr
