Bloodwort vs Common Dodder

Achillea millefolium compared with Cuscuta gronovii

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bloodwort	Common Dodder
Kingdom same	Plantae (bitki)	Plantae (bitki)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Achillea	Cuscuta
Species	Achillea millefolium	Cuscuta gronovii

Evolutionary Relationship

Bloodwort and Common Dodder share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Bloodwort

LC — Least Concern

Common Dodder

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bloodwort	Common Dodder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bloodwort

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (4 countries), Europe (10 countries), North America (5 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

Common Dodder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (11 countries) and North America (United States).

Bloodwort

The Bloodwort (Achillea millefolium) is a species in the genus Achillea. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Neotropic and Palearctic real

Common Dodder

<em>Cuscuta gronovii</em>, the common dodder, is a parasitic annual vine in the family Convolvulaceae. This species is distributed across eleven European countries as well as the United States, where it typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments including wetland margins, roadsides, thickets, and disturbed vegetation. Unlike most plants, <em>Cuscuta gronovii</em> lacks chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on host plants for water and nutrients, which it extracts through specialized structures called haustoria. The common dodder typically has slender, twining orange or yellowish stems and produces small, clustered white or pale pink flowers in late summer. It often parasitizes a broad range of host species, including many herbaceous and shrubby plants. Once attached to a host, it typically sheds its connection to the soil and relies entirely on the host for sustenance. The species is assessed as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and ability to colonize disturbed habitats. Its parasitic life history makes it ecologically notable among flowering plants.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇴 Norway 🇪🇸 Spain 🇺🇸 United States