Mistletoe

American Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) native to North America, and very common in Virginia.

There are more than 30 species of Mistletoe in North America.

Juniper Mistletoe (Phoradendron juniperinum). Photographed in Zion National Park.

Mistletoe is a hemi-parasite, meaning that it performs photosynthesis, but extracts water and nutrients from the host plant.

If you’re considering using American Mistletoe as an indoor decoration, and have children or cats or dogs around, keep in mind, those berries are poisonous.

Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.