Dwarf Mistletoe

Dwarf mistletoes are small parasitic plants in the genus Arceuthobium.

They have very little green chlorophyll, so they grow “roots” into the stem of their host tree (pine, fir, hemlock) and extract nutrients and water, slowing growth, reducing host vigor, and making them more susceptible to other pests.

Witches brooms often form at the base of the mistletoe, which can provide fuel ladders for fires to reach the tree crown, but also provide nesting habitat for birds and small mammals.

Dwarf mistletoe seeds discharge explosively, shooting off at an initial velocity of about 85 feet per second (60 miles per hour), but only for a short distance (15-40 feet). Seeds are sticky and will adhere to most objects they strike, including new host trees growing nearby.

See also:

• Thinning and prescribed fire effects on dwarf mistletoe severity in an eastern Cascade Range dry forest, Washington
• A Synthesis of the Literature on the Biology, Ecology, and Management of Western Hemlock Dwarf Mistletoe