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Mistletoe - friend or foe?
Cloggie
Posts: 1,457
I've inherited mistletoe which I read is rare on this side of the country (the East) it's seen more on the West side of the country (perhaps because apple trees are more prevalent??).
Anyway, my mistletoe never fruits, I never see berries, and it blots out the view of more favourable stuff when viewing the garden from the French windows.
So, can I cut it back? Any Mistletoe experts our there that have a view on this? I've attached photos to give scale and form to the problem.
Thanks for guidance.
Cloggie
0
Posts
Cloggie, you may have a male mistletoe plant... you need both male and female plants for berries, so if that impressive mass of growth is all from one plant, that could explain the mass of berries. You could try growing it a girlfriend...
As far as pruning is concerned, I guess you can be pretty brutal. I think when mistletoe is cut for Christmas they just hack lumps off.
How very lucky you are! Mistletoe has separate male and female plants and only the females have the berries. If the females grow in an area where there are very few males then they will remain berry-less too. Mistletoe can be pruned by removing about one third of its growth each year and heavily infested host branches can also be removed. Apple trees are one of its favourite hosts. You can take off the mistletoe branches blocking your view but I would keep some as it is lovely to have. Male mistletoe tends to be rather lax in its growth whilst the female is more upright. This is one way you can tell which plant is which.
Sorry, meant "lack" of berries, not "mass". Typing on top of cat on my knee...
Personally I would camp out under it and wait for George.
Liriodendron - I know that feeling!
I seem to be one of a minority in the 'get rid of it' camp. I would remove as much as possible by cutting it as close to the base as possible and being vigilant for any regrowth.
Mistletoe has almost killed a neighbours apple tree, admittedly an old tree, but there is more mistletoe growth than leaf now. The berries, when they drop, make an awful mess too.
I have managed to remove the majority from my crab apple tree by using the method above.
It's not in the interest of a parasitic plant to kill its host. Old apple trees die and the mistletoe dies with them.
I love the diversity of the plant world, it's fascinating and beautiful.
In the sticks near Peterborough