The name of this evergreen plant might remind us of a kiss during the holiday season, but desert mistletoe holds a more complex anthropological and ecological place in the Sonoran Desert. Containing thick, green leaves that are oval in shape, it grows up to several feet in diameter, producing small, sticky, whitish and red berries in the fall and winter months. Clumps of mistletoe are easily recognizable on trees in winter after all of the leaves have fallen. A flowering evergreen, desert mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) grows as a parasite (or technically a hemiparasite, as it does photosynthesize) in the Sonoran Desert. Mistletoe infects a variety of tree and shrub species in Arizona including: palo verde, mesquite, cottonwood, ash, sycamore, ironwood and acacia at varying elevations.
Mistletoe plants present as either female or male, with female bushes producing berries and males creating pollen. For pollination and fruit development to occur, male and female plants must be in close proximity. Birds spread mistletoe seeds by feeding off of berries, digesting pulp, and excreting the seeds which stick to, germinate on, and growing into the branches of living trees. Mistletoe takes up to two years to bloom and produce viable seed. Seeds falling from mistletoe in the upper parts of trees can also creating new infestations on lower branches. Depending on its host plant for water and nutrients this parasitic plant causes a decline in the host over a period of years. The host tree will lose limbs and eventually die with a sever infestation.
Known by birders as the black flycatcher, black-crested flycatcher, shining crested flycatcher, shining fly-snapper, silky flycatcher, or black cardinal, the lives of the phainopepla nitens revolve around desert mistletoe. Having been known to consumer more than 1000 berries each day, their digestive systems have developed to ensure large numbers of seeds make through the digestive systems. Dense thickets of desert mistletoe plants create are favors as nesting locales for black flycatchers, because they are cooler and less affected by wind than the surrounding tree branches. Look for black flycatchers defending their nests and berry patches when you notice mistletoe in a local tree.
Birds are not the only animals who appreciate fruiting mistletoe; a variety of animals ranging from deer to mice use the berries as a vital winter water source. The gorgeous great purple hairstreak butterfly caterpillar, native to Arizona, only eats desert mistletoe. When affected by winter drought, honeybees feed their young almost exclusively with mistletoe pollen. In addition to black flycatchers, northern mockingbirds, mourning doves, Gambel’s quail, Gila woodpeckers and house finches all assist in planting mistletoe. Fruits of mistletoes growing on mesquite, ironwood or catclaw acacia were considered edible to native, whereas berries growing on palo verdes or Condalia (desert buckthorn) are considered inedible. Raw mistletoe was eaten by the Tohono O’odham. The fruit was boiled and mashed, making it pudding consistency, by River Pima. Mistletoe was gathered by the Cahilla mid-fall through the spring months during which time it was boiled into a paste in a pot with a sprinkle of wood ash. WARNING: The desert mistletoe plant (not the fruit) contains phoratoxins which can easily lead to death via slowed heart rate, increased blood pressure, convulsions, or cardiac collapse. Some of these compounds can cause hallucinations, but there is no way to judge dosage. People seeking a “high” from mistletoe still turn up in morgues each year. In short, don’t mess with eating a mistletoe plant!
At times, mistletoe has been feared as it spread through tree canopies, but according to experts, it rarely kills its host. If you’re concerned for your tree with a mistletoe infestation, ensure that it gets plenty of water. Hardy, well-hydrated trees can handle mistletoe without suffering negative effects. Additionally, prune off infected branches as soon you notice mistletoe to effectively control this parasite. It is important to remove the mistletoe from its host tree before its roots are embedded in the tree limbs. Pruning of infected branches should occur at least one foot below the point of plant attachment. The entire tree may need to be removed in the case of heavy infestations. Mistletoe should be removed from infected trees at least every six months to keep this parasite in check.
#DesertMistletoe #Mistletoe #MistletoeHelpsBees #SaveTheHoneyBees
RESOURCES:
https://horticultureunlimited.com/mistletoe-removal-from-trees/
https://savorthesouthwest.blog/2014/05/23/desert-mistletoe-for-food-and-fun/
