Topic: Mistletoe

[gavin]

Next door plot has some mistletoe growing in their apple tree - what a crazy plant!!!!!

I'd read about it, seen pictures of it, hung it up, "got caught" underneath it - but never actually seen it "for real".  To see the stuff actually growing out of the apple tree branch is just bizarre;  t'ain't right!

All best - Gavin

[ACE]

The apple orchards in the calvados area of France used to be covered in the stuff.

[SpeedyMango]

I live next to Bushy Park, and there are loads of trees covered in mistletoe this time of year (not sure what type of trees, definitely not apple!). Unfortunately it's all way too high up to be able to get any home for Xmas. It's normally seeded by the birds, I guess.

You can, apparently, 'seed' mistletoe on a tree branch should you wish to grow your own nearer ground level.

[aquilegia]

I've never seen it in situ. Must have a look around for it!

I've heard you can just shove a berry into a crack in the bark and it should/might grow. I'll give it a go one day, when my apple tree matures (in about 10 years!)

[SpeedyMango]

Took me a while to realise what it was. From a distance it looks a little like 'clouds' high up in a bare tree.

[Mrs Ava]

Once you realise what it is you realise there is masses around.  On my usual route down to Devon (A303) there is masses in the trees along the roadside.  There is an ancient old bramley on our site and it is smothered in mistletoe, and I mean smothered.  The tree is green year round and some of the new sprigs are down very low on the trunk, if I could find a piskie I could have a snog down there!  :D

[djbrenton]

If you want to grow mistletoe, the best way is to mash a berry/berries onto the tree. The berry itself is quite sticky and the seed will adhere with the berry mashed on. You can grow it on virtually any tree but older ones will suffer less from the parasite which holly is.

[Andy H]

Que? do you mean Holly is a parasite?

Anyone got any mistletoe?

[gavin]

Once you realise what it is you realise there is masses around.

Apparently it doesn't grow much this far north? 

According to http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art26750.asp, only as far as York - so I'm even more chuffed that I've seen it at last!

All best - Gavin

[Columbus]

http://www.mistle.co.uk/faqs.htm


I saved seeds from christmas mistletoe from a past christmas with a view to planting it sometime. My apple tree is too little and the seeds probably unripe.

There is a huge bunch that overhangs a road, high above a village green in the depths of Norfolk, that many people must pass beneath but who never look up to see and who never steal a kiss. It always seems to be a special magic to me. No-one thinks to harvest it so its a kind of communal property.

Col  :)

[Mrs Ava]

Christmas Eve and where were we at 9am this cold crisp morn...on the allotment of course!  The kids and I collected our veggies and as we were getting ready to leave I took them to the old Bramley apple tree to show them the mistletoe and to kiss them both under it, and the man whose tree it is saw us, came out and invited me to take a piece.  I came home with a lovely lump, full of berries so there will be many kisses taking place in our house this Christmas time! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!  :D

[Bannerdown]

Just tried squishing Mistletoe into a suitable knotch in our apple and pear trees.  Did one in the Plum tree just to see, will keep you informed.  Cheers, Tony. ???

[Mrs Ava]

I squished loads of berries into our apple trees last winter/spring, but nothing....yet.  Will do the same again this year and see if we are lucky.