Asiatic Witchweed
Striga asiatica
- Native to:
- Aldabra, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Mozambique Channel Is., Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Réunion, Rodrigues, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United States, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Nativeplants garden
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Orobanchaceae
- Genus:
- Striga
- Species:
- Striga asiatica
- USDA Symbol:
- STAS2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 40 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- red, yellow, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- parasitic plant often found in disturbed soils
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Seeds require a period of after-ripening and a chemical stimulant from host roots to germinate; conventional stratification is not applicable.