Maybe second solely to Christmas bushes, mistletoe is a botanical vacation icon. However, in botanical phrases, it’s not really one plant however a typical identify utilized to a gaggle of parasitic vegetation.
Be taught extra about these vegetation and the place they arrive from on this info from the Missouri Botanical Backyard’s Heart for House Gardening.
What’s mistletoe?
Mistletoe is a typical identify utilized to a gaggle of evergreen, vegetation within the sandalwood household, Santalaceae. These vegetation are generally grouped collectively in their very own household, Viscaceae.
European mistletoe, Viscum album, is the quintessential plant of European folklore and Christmas traditions. Its kissing cousin, American mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, is in a special genus. But it surely shares most of the identical bodily traits as its European relative and has stuffed the identical cultural area of interest. It’s also the commonest mistletoe species in North America.
The place is mistletoe from?
European mistletoe is native to a large swath of Eurasia, from Europe into central and southern Asia. American mistletoe is native to temperate areas of North America together with elements of the jap and southern United States and northern Mexico.
Do you know Missouri has mistletoe? Phoradendron leucarpum could be discovered within the Ozarks of southern Missouri the place it’s considerably uncommon.
How Does Mistletoe Develop?
Mistletoe vegetation are hemiparasite. This implies they require a number plant to amass water and mineral vitamins. They’re evergreen subshrubs that develop on the branches or stems of different woody vegetation, forming dense, rounded clumps as much as a number of ft throughout.
What Vegetation are hosts are for mistletoe?
Totally different species of mistletoe choose completely different hosts. For instance, European mistletoe has been recorded parasitizing on greater than 400 completely different species of woody vegetation. Nonetheless, it grows greatest on apple bushes European lindens, poplars, hawthorns, and black locust. American mistletoe however has a number vary of round 60 completely different tree species. Widespread hosts embody maples, walnuts, oaks, elms, and tupelos.
What animals like mistletoe?
Mistletoe gives meals and shelter for a spread of animals.
In North America, vegetation within the genus Phoradendron together with American mistletoe are larval host vegetation for the good purple hairstreak butterfly. Pollinators together with small native bees, wasps, and flies go to the flowers for pollen and nectar. Birds corresponding to cedar waxwings, robins, bluebirds, and chickadees and small mammals together with squirrels and chipmunks eat the berries and depend on them as an essential meals supply in winter. Deer and elk will readily browse on the plant’s foliage within the winter, often from fallen branches. Clumps of mistletoe are additionally used as nesting habitat for wrens, mourning doves, and squirrels.
How about People?
Freshly lower branches of mistletoe are generally used to brighten indoors through the winter. They’ve traditionally been related to romance and vitality. Hanging a bough of mistletoe was mentioned to guard a home from lightning strikes or hearth.
Mistletoes have lengthy been used as a part of conventional medication practices, and at present energetic compounds produced by the vegetation are being studied for his or her capacity to deal with a spread of points together with complications, epilepsy, and even most cancers. Nonetheless, all elements of the plant are toxic and might trigger very severe unintended effects, so discuss to your physician earlier than beginning any natural remedy.
Potential Pest?
Whereas it a favourite for vacation decor, mistletoe could be problematic within the wild in sure conditions.
Most wholesome, mature bushes can maintain a number of mistletoe vegetation. However for a tree that’s already weakened as a result of environmental stressors, insect pests, or illness, too many clumps parasitizing its branches could possibly be detrimental. The fruits are additionally poisonous to people and pets if ingested in giant sufficient portions, so the place children or critters play the plant could also be thought of undesirable. Sadly, as soon as mistletoe has been established, it is rather tough to regulate. Reducing the stems flush with the host tree will set the mistletoe again however not kill it. The one efficient management measure is to prune out infect branches. Bushes which might be closely infested could should be eliminated fully.