Growing Mistletoe

Posted on 29 Jun, 2009 19 comments

I have grown Mistletoe (Viscum album) now for quite a few years with very good success. Over the years, many people having seen the plants growing on various trees where I work have asked me how to grow it and I have always obliged them.

The usual enquiry about cutting into the tree with a knife is soon dismissed as complete bunkum! “When was the last time you saw a Mistle Thrush carrying a pen knife?” is my usual diplomatic response.

First, select a suitable host tree. I have found these to be the most suitable:

Malus (Apple)
Sorbus (Rowan’s)
Acer (Just the Norway maple Acer platanoides and surprisingly, the Japanese Maple Acer palmatum so far)
Amelanchier (June Berry)
Crataegus (Hawthorn).

And now to the actual application of seed to the host. Just do what the birds do. When the Mistle Thrush (or Wood Pigeon, another of the plants distributors) grabs a fully ripe berry, the seed often squirts just far enough out of the flesh and hangs or sticks to the side of the birds bill. The flesh of the berry is swallowed and the bird often just wipes the annoying sticky seed onto a branch. The sticky viscin surrounding the seed then hardens after a few days permanently sticking it down to the branch.

After a few months, the embryo (often two in a single seed) will germinate sending out two radicles.

As can be seen in these photo’s (especially the close up) the ends of the radicle expand into a sort of disc (the haustorium). This plants itself against the hosts stem and starts to secrete an enzyme to dissolve it’s way into the cambium layer just under the bark. Once inside, the tree is effectively infected.

By early summer the following year (yes, this early stage is slow), this is what you should see.

The small plant slightly behind is a year or so older than the ones in the foreground.

It will be three to four years before you have clumps like this on my Sorbus scalaris.

Because Viscum album has seperate male and female plants, it is important for berries that you sow plenty. My Sorbus scalaris has about fifty plants on it and it seems to be quite healthy though I have perhaps overdone it!!! I put a lot on because sometimes, they just don’t take for one reason or another. These all seem to have done!

Good luck if you want to try it yourself. Just don’t cut the tree. All this does is open it up for attack by microbes and fungi.

Happy gardening!

Large plant growing on Acer platanoides

Comments

Mobee

hi Fractal pics look great i wud love Mistletoe in my garden but unfortunately have no trees garden not overly big cud u suggest anything probably daft question!!!!!

29 Jun, 2009

Terratoonie

Wow, what an interesting blog.... and so well written... with good photos ~ making it very reader-friendly.
Thanks for this. :o)

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

Thank you both for that.

Mobee, you could try it on a dwarf apple on m27 rootstock. That should work fine.

Steve.

29 Jun, 2009

Treesandthi..

I'm off to my apple tree to try and get a close up of the one that took when I tried this the other year.
I tried four one was successful.

Ill be back soon with a pic.
Great blog.

29 Jun, 2009

Seaburngirl

arent these semi-parasitic plants fascinating. I have tried many times over the years without success. will try again this winter.

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

Hi Seaburngirl, try sowing them Feb onwards rather than earlier. They often germinate better from then onwards even sowings as late as April will work well, it's just getting hold of berries then of course. Access to a berrying plant is key.

Good luck in the future with them.

Thanks also Treesandthings :-)

29 Jun, 2009

Blodyn

That's very interesting.
I have 2 young apple trees planted 3 yrs ago. Do you think I should wait for them to get bigger before I try ?

29 Jun, 2009

Bigbumblebee

Well written and interesting blog, Fractal: really enjoyed reading it. Good, clear pics. too.
Do you think Silver Birch or Black Alder would make good hosts for Mistletoe?
Bbb

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

I wouldn't Hywel, just try ten or so seeds and they should be fine with that. There is a company somewhere (I forget where) that sends out young apple trees already impregnated. A small Malus floribunda in my mums garden had several plants on it and the tree was in perfect health.

29 Jun, 2009

Blodyn

Thank you. I'd like to try.

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

I know that it does grow on Birch though I have not yet had success on it. Alder I have not tried though it is in the same family as Birch so might well prove worth trying too.

29 Jun, 2009

Mobee

hi steve apologies for this but i haven`t got a clue what type of tree i shud ask for is it called dwarf apple have been thinking bout getting small tree it sounds good thanks!!

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

No apologies needed Mobee :-)

I would wait until beginning of September as there should be a better choice of trees to select from by then. Go for a good all round eating apple such as Red Windsor or Scrumptious. Both are relatively new self fertile varieties so you will get fruit without the need for another pollinator and the fruit tastes good on these two as well.

Make sure you get either on the dwarf rootstock called M27. This will keep the tree small (usually between 6-8ft even in the ground). They can be grown in tubs but I'm not a great advocate of plants in containers so plant in the ground if possible, at least for the long term.

You could wait a year or two before trying the mistletoe but you could still try a couple to start with. The tree should be able to cope. February/March is the best time if you can get berries then though still try earlier if that's all you can get (New Year).

Apart from the two apple varieties above, others to consider could be the following (all on M27 though to keep them small).

James Grieve (partly self-fertile)
Falstaff
Herefordshire Russet
Sunset
Katy
Red Devil (self-fertile variety)

Crab apples (also on M27) to consider.

Golden Hornet
Pink Glow (alternative name Dolgo)
Robusta
Red Sentinel
John Downie (though Pink Glow has taken over now, being scab resistant)

Always make sure the rootstock is M27 to keep the apple whatever the variety you choose, as small as possible. Avoid MM106 rootstock (this is a very common rootstock) so check the label or ask. It should be clearly marked. MM106 is too vigorous for you. At a push, M9 rootstock could be used and is only slightly taller growing than M27.

Hope this helps.

29 Jun, 2009

Mobee

oh thats fantastic Steve never thought i cud get a tree that wud suit the garden i cud cope with that height just right thanks for so much info really appreciate it will keep u posted :~)))))

29 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

Cheers Mobee :-)

30 Jun, 2009

Crazydi

Excellent blog....thank you Fractal :) Mistletoe is believed to protect your home from thunderstorms, lightning strikes and witches....as well as being a powerful fertility symbol. So, it's well worth growing...if you can, lol

30 Jun, 2009

$fractal$

Fractal

I should be fine then, and a Rowan tree to boot, that'll keep them witches a bay too then! lol....hope they don't cancel each other out?

30 Jun, 2009

Crazydi

Lol....no, I reckon you'll be quite safe, doubly protected with your mistletoe and rowan :)

30 Jun, 2009