Mistletoe....

[Ivan...]

Hi, right last question on the other thread was. How long does it take to germinate?

After a fair bit of research, the professional answers vary slightly!

But in general, 2 years before any noticeable signs.

Sewing time according to RHS March or April, roughly 1 in 10 seeds germinate and it takes 5 years to reach berrying size.

To age an established bush.

Mistletoe stems always fork and the easy way to age it, count the number of times that branches fork and adding two years because often one fork is produced in each year from the third year after germination, if that makes sense!

The list of host trees is actually endless, but most species are extremely rare, i have got a rough percentage of the most popular types.

Apple 40%
Lime 20%
Hawthorn 12%
Poplar 10%
Willow 4%
Maple 4%
Crab Apple 3%
Other Species 7%

There does not seem to be a species it won't grow on (that i can find anyway!)
But as previously stated outside the above listed very very rare.

If anyone does spot it growing on any species not listed, please take some pics and post.

Weather dependant, i will get to some of the spots mentioned on the other thread and get some pics up.

Thanks for the interest.

Ivan...

 

[British Red]

Great stuff - thanks Ivan

 

[Ivan...]

One bit i forgot! If your bush only produces flowers and no berries, it's a male plant! The recommended action sew some more seeds to even the balance, as you can't sex seeds! (no pun intended)

Or shake a berried clump above the non berried grower, i would do both, but i think if someone saw me up a ladder doing the last named, it might cause a little head scratching!

Ivan...

 

[dwardo]

Great stuff very interesting. Never seen any in the wild.

 

[uncleboob]

I think we have quite a bit of this growing on London plane tree's- once established I think it's quite prolific. When I'm next going past I'll get a pic, cheers, joab

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[HHazeldean]

Massively interesting stuff there, thanks for that Ivan. I didn't realise it grew so slowly either! Psyched to see this orchard now haha Thanks, Harry

 

[Bartooon]

Useful info - thanks. There are several large clumps near me growing on oaks.

 

[Savagewolfrm]

No chance of a kiss then under it you foxy stoat
have a great Christmas pal see you sson in the new year

 

[Harvestman]

In Gwent, Mistletoe grows in great abundance in a band about 10-20 miles wide up the middle of the county, but is extremely scarce either side of that zone. It seems to be quite common in the Welsh borders.

I have seen it once on hawthorn, and there is a small bit near where I work growing on red oak, which as Ivan says is very rare. Mainly on apple and poplar, as he says.

Given how slowly it matures, it pains me to see so much of it ripped off the trees at this time of year.

 

[Ivan...]

Hi, yesterday our town flooded the weather was awful all day and night, i had every intention of getting some misletoe shots but no thankyou, so this morning a lot calmer and it had stopped raining, thought i would sort it, how wrong was i! Took a few pics just in case you thought i was being lazy!

Our local park (short cut to said material) was impassable, if i had of fallen in i would have ended up in Teignmouth!

So another day beckons for the Mistletoe express!

Ivan...

 

[Ivan...]

Well, the water subsided very quickly the sun came out so off i went! The first couple are in a garden just along the road from me, the houses were built in 1988, then on to the old cider orchard, which was a bit disappointing form a mistletoe point of view, as it looks since the last time i was there, a lot has been removed, still a beautiful place, fox scat on the granite post, diet nearly all apple and berry.

Then on to Parke, where they have an old eating apple orchard and a lot of newly planted trees, as you can see the mistletoe has wasted no time in getting stuck into these.

Then further on, probably the most interesting aspects, huge healthy growth on mature Ash (so no problem there Red) massive clumps on an old Beech, loads on the lime and poplar.

Sorry the pics are not all subject related, but it was a lovely walk and when i have the camera with me i can't help myself.

Ivan...

 

[Harvestman]

Lovely pics Ivan. I too am just back from a walk, making the most of the sunshine, especially since it won't last.

Always good to see orchards. Thanks for sharing.

 

[British Red]

Great Piccs Ivan - looks like the old mill stream burst its banks there? No damage I hope?

We lost a couple of roof tiles - but their replacements are back in place now

 

[ozzy1977]

Near my parents there are a lot of Lime avenues and most trees have a lot of mistletoe in them, I am supprised no one has tried too harvest it.

 

[HHazeldean]

Wow Ivan those pics are fantastic, thanks for going down there! That old cider orchard looks fantastic, and some impressive mistletoe again! Plus some of those beard lichens were equally impressive. Thanks for sharing those, they were fantastic...plus that huge hollow oak was sweet as

 

[lannyman8]

tons of the stuff round our way, think i have seen them growing on plum ash, maybe poplar, but if i look closely probably many more tree types, when i say its all over the place, i mean it.......

chris.

 

[Ivan...]

Great Piccs Ivan - looks like the old mill stream burst its banks there? No damage I hope?

We lost a couple of roof tiles - but their replacements are back in place now

No damage at all! 8.30am no go area, 1.00pm you would never have known, no wind bright sunshine, what's all the fuss about?

Ivan...

We are a bit uased to it now, so sand bag city it becomes.

 

[ammo]

Brilliant pics, Ivan. Nice natural shelter you found in that Oak tree. Thanks for showing.

 

[spandit]

Can't remember if it was on this forum or Arbtalk but tried propagating some mistletoe this winter - not 100% sure but think this might possibly be a bud (on apple):

 

[Toddy]

Timely
I have forgotten to look and see if any took on my tree.
Thank you for the reminder

M