


The chemical spray must thoroughly wet the mistletoe foliage to be effective. In California, ethephon (Monterey Florel brand) has been used to control mistletoe in dormant host trees. It can be found on a variety of host plants including apple, lime, poplar, sycamore, ash and hawthorn. Mistletoe is a hemi (partial) parasite which attaches to a tree via suckers roots and absorbs some water and nutrients from its host plant. You might be interested: Question: How Do You Tell The Difference Between A Red Or White Oak Tree? Will mistletoe grow on oak? The tree the mistletoe grows upon is known as its host. Mistletoe is a small evergreen shrub that is semi-parasitic on other plants. While mistletoe can grow on more than 100 different types of trees, it is most often found on pecan, hickory, oaks, red maple and black gum in North Carolina. Trees are able to withstand most mistletoe infestations, so removal is not absolutely necessary. Only some of the mistletoe will fall off, but the plant will slowly grow more. The leaves of the mistletoe must be completely wet and the process needs to be done before the host tree has leafed out. How long does it take for mistletoe to kill a tree?Ī bad infestation will kill the tree within 10-15 years. Using thinning-type pruning cuts, remove infected branches at their point of origin or back to large lateral branches. The most effective way to control mistletoe and prevent its spread is to prune out infected branches, if possible, as soon as the parasite appears. How do you get rid of mistletoe in trees? However, mistletoe is a parasitic plant that steals water and minerals from a tree and derives its nutrition at the expense of the tree. In and of itself, infection of a tree by mistletoe does not kill the host tree. Mistletoe is easiest to see in the winter months when deciduous trees drop their leaves. But if you have 15 or 20 clumps per tree, the mistletoe will sap nutrients and weaken the tree.Ģ,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic (or 2,4-D) and Glyphosate both have high success rates in killing mistletoe plants, but some trees are sensitive to these chemicals, and widespread use of them may result in the occasional death of trees. A few clumps of leafy mistletoe don’t do too much harm to a healthy oak tree, according to Oregon State University foresters. The mistletoe seeds sprout and grow roots into the oak branches. If you do not wish to remove a broadleaf mistletoe-affected tree limb or when physical removal of the entire broadleaf mistletoe through pruning is not feasible, then cutting back the mistletoe and wrapping the infested area with a sunlight-blocking material for a few years may kill the mistletoe. How do you kill mistletoe without killing a tree? 12 What causes mistletoe to grow in trees?.8 Does mistletoe only grow on oak trees?.7 Should you remove mistletoe from trees?.6 How long does it take for mistletoe to kill a tree?.5 How do you get rid of mistletoe in trees?.4 Will mistletoe eventually kill a tree?.1 How do you kill mistletoe without killing a tree?.Let’s face it, poison isn’t that romantic.

For good measure, you can throw in that it’s also toxic to humans. If not, you can always distract them by telling them that mistletoe is a parasite. So, if you are caught for a kiss underneath the mistletoe maybe you’ll think of Frigg’s promise of a kiss and bestow one on your admirer. However, maybe mistletoe managed to remain green thanks to all of the nitrogen and other nutrients it was leeching from its host plants. In fact, Celtic druids considered mistletoe a symbol of life because it remained green in winter while other plants were bare. Throughout history it has been considered a symbol of life and fertility. Whether this is the origin of the connection between mistletoe and kissing or not, mistletoe has been linked with human traditions for centuries. Over come with joy that Baldur had come back to life, Frigg blessed the mistletoe plant, promising a kiss to anyone who passes beneath it. Frigg then placed these berries into Baldur’s wound, bringing him back to life. Legend has it that when Baldur was killed with an arrow made of mistletoe, the goddess Frigg, his mother, wept over him and her tears turned into white berries on the mistletoe. So why is a parasitic plant which steals nutrients from its hosts considered romantic? One theory centres on the Norse myth involving the death of Baldur (the Norse god of light and joy).
