1 / 11

Cassytha glabella

slender Devil's twine

Lauraceae Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Cassytha glabella is a slender, twining parasitic vine with thread-like green to orange-brown stems that wind over and through other plants. It has no functional leaves, which are reduced to tiny scales, and instead draws water and nutrients from its hosts through small peg-like attachments called haustoria that press into the host stems. The wiry stems form tangled, net-like masses over shrubs and groundcovers. Tiny white to cream flowers are clustered along the stems, mainly in spring and summer, and are followed by small, rounded, fleshy fruits that ripen pale and are taken by birds. It is native across much of Australia, growing in heath, coastal scrub, and open woodland where suitable host plants occur. Because it is a parasite, heavy growth can weaken or smother the plants it grows on, and it is not cultivated as a garden plant, instead appearing naturally over native vegetation.

Native Range

Native to Australia, where it is widespread across many states, twining over shrubs and groundcovers in heath, scrub, and open woodland.

Suggested Uses

It is not grown as a garden plant. In native vegetation it forms part of the natural heath and scrub community, and its fruit is eaten by birds. It is of interest mainly for bushland ecology rather than cultivation.

How to Identify

Recognised by leafless, thread-like green to orange-brown stems that twine in tangled masses over other plants and attach by small peg-like haustoria. Tiny white to cream flowers cluster along the stems, followed by small rounded fleshy fruits. The lack of true leaves and the parasitic attachments separate it from non-parasitic twiners.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 10'

Width/Spread1' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

Spring Summer

Tiny white to cream flowers are clustered along the stems, mainly in spring and summer. The small flowers draw flies and other insects. Rounded fleshy fruits follow and ripen pale, dispersed by birds that feed on them.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to cream

Foliage Description

leaves reduced to tiny scales

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-9 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1 year

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

As a stem parasite, it does not grow from garden soil in the usual way; it germinates near a host, twines on, and taps into the host stems for water and nutrients. It occurs naturally in full sun to light shade in heath and scrub on sandy or gravelly soils and is not planted or cultivated. Heavy growth can weaken or kill the host plants it covers. In bushland and gardens it is usually managed by cutting and removing the parasite from affected plants. It tolerates the dry, exposed conditions of its coastal and heathland habitats.

Pruning

Cutting the twining stems away from host plants and removing the tangled growth reduces the load on affected shrubs. Because the parasite regrows from attachments left on the host, repeated removal is usually needed. It is managed rather than pruned for shape.