Mistletoe

Description:

Mistletoe produces a white berry that is part of many bird's diet. The seed are covered with a sticky substance. They are spread by birds to other trees and deposited on limbs in their excrement. The gelatinous coating acts like a glue to bind the seed to the limb until it germinates. After germination, a root like structure penetrates the bark and grows into the xylem, water conducting tissue of the limb. The root like structures ( haustoria) take materials needed by the mistletoe. Mistletoe seldom kills a tree outright, but heavily infested limbs are stressed. This can increase a tree's susceptibility to other problems.

Habitat:

Cedar elm tree in north Texas.

Notes:

Species of Phoradendron (which means tree thief in Greek) are the leafy mistletoes found in Texas. The European leafy mistletoe species is Viscum album but is not found in Texas.