| [College of ACES] | [University of Illinois] | [Illinois CES] |
As you know, there are many mistletoe species to bother us. I reckon
I have dealt with non-leafy mistletoes, which I have heard referred to as "dwarf," invariably in
pines, and it is a nasty little parasite. My understanding is that, unlike the leafy mistletoes, this
variety is incapable or only marginally capable of photosynthesis. So in addition to swiping water and
minerals from the hapless host, this variety also takes carbohydrate from the host tree. A heavy
infestation is difficult and very time-consuming to eradicate. Left unchecked, I suspect that
host mortality would be heavy. As I recall, Florel is not an option for treating conifers.
I have had good luck, on the few occasions when I've tried it, applying spray tree paint to the
freshly-cut stub of the mistletoe. The idea is to block light from the stump of the plant, pre-
venting photosynthesis and re-growth. Again, this is time-consuming, almost invariably requires
re-treatment, and is thus somewhat pricey, particularly for the very poor area where I work.
Steve Garoutte