By way of Winter Solstice Greetings, I send you a photo taken last summer of mistletoe at Bogus Basin. Well, you can’t actually see the mistletoe, only the evidence of mistletoe. Parasitic mistletoe has been robbing the upper part of this poor Douglas Fir of nutrients while at the same time stimulating the lower section of the tree to produce a thick mass of extra branching. The thick growth is called Witches Broom and it is the easiest way to spot a mistletoe infection. Which means this is also a belated Halloween greeting!
We have several native species of mistletoe in Idaho. The one you can’t see in the photo is very picky and only attacks Doug Firs. Other conifers get their own special mistletoes.
Classic mistletoe–the kind you kiss under–is of course from Europe. Our native species–know as “dwarf mistletoes”–aren’t very useful for Christmas decor as they don’t have leaves or cute berries. They do, however, produce seeds which when ripe explosively catapult out into the forest. They can fly up to 40 feet and, because they are covered with glue, they will stick to anything. If a seed lands on the right tree, it will germinate and produce roots that drill into the tree and start growing.
Perhaps you have noticed logging at Bogus Basin in recent years. Mistletoe damage is serious there, mostly on Doug Firs but also on some Ponderosas. The Forest Service has been working on removing the most compromised trees with a long-term plan to improve overall forest health.
I wish them the best of luck and to you a happy new year!