Archive for the ‘mistletoe’ Tag
There are 21 species of Dwarf Mistletoe that live in North America.
They suck the life out of our conifer forests. The bulk of the plants live under the bark of their host … just like an iceberg, you only see the tip.
They suck water from their host. They suck food from their host. They’re not a blood-sucking parasite, but that’s how they affect their plant host. They are “natural,” but they degrade your forests and should be killed when found.
Shot on the Sunset Trail, Kings Canyon National Park.


This tree is in trouble, and has multiple outbreaks of Dwarf mistletoe.
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Mistletoe: No Kissing
Mistletoe: Kissing Allowed
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Sycamore Mistletoe, Phoradendron tomentsoum, is the most common mistletoe used in Southern California by high school fundraising groups to make a buck and inspire more kissing.
High school students need inspiration, apparently.
As George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young.”

Sycamore Mistletoe is revealed in the fall, as its host loses the leaves that shield it in the spring and summer.

This mistletoe does generate its own chlorophyll, but it does suck nutrients and water from the host tree.
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The hot colors in the center of the photo are provided by Juniper Mistletoe, which is different from the white-berried, green-leafed variety that provides kissing motivation for many people. Shot at Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, northern Los Angeles County, CA.
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