Yarrow broomrape

The yarrow broomrape is a plant species that parasitises yarrow (another plant species) and produces beautiful blue flowers in June and July. Unlike its host plant (*), yarrow broomrape is very rare. It only grows on calcareous soil, and in Flanders it is mainly found in dune grasslands.

(*) A host plant is a plant from which an animal or other plant obtains its nutrients. Without the host plant, the animal or plant often cannot survive.