Misteltoe ?

[lonediver]

I am looking to pick anyones brains here on misteltoe . To many I am sure you are familar with it's reputation as a parasitic plant , this does not necessarily mean that it will kill a healthy host plant . It does carry on it's own photosynthetic process and there are many native birds dependant on it . What I desire to know is there any here who have tried to cultivate/start or establish it and if so how did you do it ?

[Equilibrium]

Not one I've propagated.

[Smart Red]

What I was told - on a visit to relatives - is that all you need to do is just rub a berry into the bark on a branch. That imbeds the seed enough for it to get a start. Of course this is info from a Wisconsinite born and raised. Take the info for what it's worth.

[lonediver]

My interest in misteltoe is from some of the reading I have done is that there are some native bird species that are reliant upon it . Considering that I am attempting to develop what I call a " wildlife garden " it makes sense to me that it would be necessary to have in the ( a) garden what it would take take to draw the clients that a person to seek to attract .

Misteltoe is said to used by one bird here in Arizona , I am sure that there are other birds that use it throughout the country , I leave it to you to research those in your locality . In my case the bird here is the Phainopepla ;

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Phainopepla.html

Note that it says there ;

"An individual Phainopepla eats at least 1,100 mistletoe berries per day, when they are available. "

Now where I have posted before inquiring about this plant ( one place );

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/938834/

It seems in talking to others the first reaction is that the plant is a parasite , that it will kill the host tree . Arborists as a whole seem it hate it . Well in reading I have done it seems that the plant carries on it's own photosyntesis manufacturing much of its own food . Going in the desert here I see many large old growth trees with large infestations of misteltoe and the trees seem healthy by my observation .

A few " pro " sites on misteltoe I have come across ;

http://www.mistle.co.uk/faqs.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1063714/how_to_grow_your_own_mistletoe.html?cat=32

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening...w-to-grow.html

There are many examples of " parasites " throughout nature , not necessarily all of them bad . Some can actually be benefical to host , such as various " cleaner " fishes in the ocean . I have not found any claims that misteltoe is benefical to host trees but I have not found/seen that it is is the "killer" that some seem to assume it is . In the reading I have done misteltoe only seems to be a threat to a host tree if it grows in such proliferation that it would ultimately interfere with the photosynthetic process of the the host tree . Thinning the misteltoe should prevent this .

It seems in Arizona that there are some 7 species of misteltoe , 4 in the lower deserts which is where I am . Yesterday I obtained some misteltoe from an Ironwood tree on a property where I had permission to remove it . I do not have an idea of which strain it is but I intend to take some of its berries and attempt to " infect " a few of my trees here with it .

A few more things to be said about misteltoe is that it is dioecious ;

http://www.answers.com/topic/dioecious-plant

and that it likely will take two years or more to mature .

My samples I got yesterday in pics below .The red/orange berries if you can see them are what I seek to harvest . They should contain seed .

Now people this is supposed to be a discussion forum , jump in anytime and stop being lurkers/voyuers . Lets hear some comments .

[TheLorax]

Very good reporting lonediver. Being parastic isn't necessarily a bad thing. I have no idea how best to propagate this species. What did you come up with on propagation?

[lonediver]

In nature it is said to be spread through either bird " pooping " the seed on to other possible host plants or the seed which is reputed to be sticky , simply adhereing to a birds appendages and being " dropped off " elsewhere .

The few sites where possible cultivation is spoken of , it is suggested that possibly a small cut/incision be made in younger bark branches of trees . Possibly better located in a fork of a tree . This would probably help keep the seed from being dislodged . By cutting the bark slightly the seed could be slighly pushed into the cut . It will stiil take months after doing to determine if it has taken . It was further suggested if attempting to undertake this , that the location be " protected " possibly with a wire enclosure . I will likely try 8 to 10 locations due to needing both male/female and not all would likely take .

[TheLorax]

Sounds like you have a good game plan!

[DesertSage]

Lonediver, when I bought my property and after a 9 year drought I had a Silver Leaf Live oak without leaves. It was green because of mistletoe only. In the last 3 years with 18+ inches of rain annually it now has oak leaves. I questioned whether to remove it and was told that Desert mistletoe rarely kills it's host. I have two target birds that I would like to nest on my property Vermilion flycatcher and you guessed it Phainopepla. I have a bunch of Live oaks Emory and Silver leaf, only the one has any significant infestation. I had 25+ male VF stop by last spring, they loved my stock tank, but kept on going. I only see P's every once in a while, but they are common in the canyon.

[Stoloniferous]

Lonediver, thanks for the photos! I don't believe I've ever had a close look at mistletoe before.

[lonediver]

There are apparently some 100's of varieties/ strains of it , likely that the ones native to here are minorly different than yours there . There are also I think I read some dwarf varieties . These are reputed to " shoot " thier seed , expelling it some 60 MPH hoping to find a new home . It is an evergreen so if it is in a decidous tree it will show some color in the winter . In reading about it there were some interesting possible medical uses of it for humans . An interesting plant . I would think it to be interest to others .

Now if I can just get the hang of propagating it here . Likely to be a long process .