On 07/07/2013 20:30, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 14:48:58 +0100, wrote:

Yesterday, I noticed a single stem of Ivy Broomrape growing in my mainly
Pyracantha hedge where a pretty ivy grows through. Although I've seen
images in books, I'd never seen a living one before. I believe it's
parasitic on ivy, but don't know how it gets there. Is it in some way
endemic? Or is seed distributed by birds?

Try Googling for Orobanche hederae. Interesting detail at
http://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/inde...banche-hederae
Chiltern sell seeds, apparently.





Thank you, Chris. That's really interesting. I could find hardly
anything about it in any of my books. I should have tried Google, but
by the time I'd got thro' all my wild flower books, it was too late.
It's a fascinating plant. Thanks for the link.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay