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Mistletoe
Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local
gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? -- Jeff |
Mistletoe
On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 08:29:52 -0000, "Jeff Layman"
wrote: Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? There's a big mistletoe plant growing on a Norway Maple only 50 years from my house. I shall keep an eye on it to see how it does. It's about 1 yard across. Nobody has got at it yet! Pam in Bristol |
Mistletoe
The message
from Pam Moore contains these words: There's a big mistletoe plant growing on a Norway Maple only 50 years from my house. I shall keep an eye on it to see how it does. It's about 1 yard across. Nobody has got at it yet! Is that fifty years into the future, or the past? D&RFC -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
Mistletoe
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message ... Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? This got mentioned in today's 'Home Planet' on BBC Radio 4 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/homeplanet.shtml |
Mistletoe
OG wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message ... Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? This got mentioned in today's 'Home Planet' on BBC Radio 4 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/homeplanet.shtml Thanks for the ref. Strange coincidence - I meant to post this last week but forgot! -- Jeff |
Mistletoe
Charlie Pridham wrote:
In article , lid says... Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? Many cold climate plants are quite able to be completely frozen solid roots and all That's the puzzle. A cold-climate plant can "choose" to be either frozen and survive, or have some sort of anti-freeze which might allow some movement of nutrients/fluid around it and survive. If the host plant is frozen solid, what is the point in mistletoe having anti-freeze if it cannot make use of the host plant's fluids/minerals? I assume that mistletoe keeps its leaves in winter so it can use them for photosynthesis. But it can't photosynthesize for long without water - which it has to obtain from the host! So why is it evergreen and not deciduous? -- Jeff |
Mistletoe
In article , lid
says... Charlie Pridham wrote: In article , lid says... Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? Many cold climate plants are quite able to be completely frozen solid roots and all That's the puzzle. A cold-climate plant can "choose" to be either frozen and survive, or have some sort of anti-freeze which might allow some movement of nutrients/fluid around it and survive. If the host plant is frozen solid, what is the point in mistletoe having anti-freeze if it cannot make use of the host plant's fluids/minerals? I assume that mistletoe keeps its leaves in winter so it can use them for photosynthesis. But it can't photosynthesize for long without water - which it has to obtain from the host! So why is it evergreen and not deciduous? I don't know the complete answer but trees will start their sap rising long before any leaves unfurl so there would be some advantage in already having its leaves, water can also be absorbed directly along with nutrients through leaves (hence folia feeding) so in winter it may not be entirely dependant on the host plants sap -- Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and Lapageria rosea |
Mistletoe
The message
from "Jeff Layman" contains these words: A cold-climate plant can "choose" to be either frozen and survive, or have some sort of anti-freeze which might allow some movement of nutrients/fluid around it and survive. If the host plant is frozen solid, what is the point in mistletoe having anti-freeze if it cannot make use of the host plant's fluids/minerals? I assume that mistletoe keeps its leaves in winter so it can use them for photosynthesis. But it can't photosynthesize for long without water - which it has to obtain from the host! So why is it evergreen and not deciduous? I think it is rather a primitive plant, and may still be on the stem from which deciduous plants branched - BICBW - PA. -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
Mistletoe
On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 15:06:52 GMT, Rusty_Hinge
wrote: The message from Pam Moore contains these words: There's a big mistletoe plant growing on a Norway Maple only 50 years from my house. I shall keep an eye on it to see how it does. It's about 1 yard across. Nobody has got at it yet! Is that fifty years into the future, or the past? D&RFC Oops! a real senior moment there, but anyone with half a brain can do better than I did and interpret!!! I can laugh at myself! Pam in Bristol |
Mistletoe
Charlie Pridham wrote:
In article , lid says... Charlie Pridham wrote: In article , lid says... Not really a gardening question, but looking at some mistletoe in local gardens made me think. It is an evergreen, but in the UK uses deciduous trees/shrubs as a host. I wondered how it survives when the host is dormant for so long. It is said that evergreen trees and shrubs can survive cold weather very well providing their roots are not frozen. But mistletoe must have frozen "roots" if the host branch is frozen, so how does it deal with that situation? Or have I got that completely wrong? Many cold climate plants are quite able to be completely frozen solid roots and all That's the puzzle. A cold-climate plant can "choose" to be either frozen and survive, or have some sort of anti-freeze which might allow some movement of nutrients/fluid around it and survive. If the host plant is frozen solid, what is the point in mistletoe having anti-freeze if it cannot make use of the host plant's fluids/minerals? I assume that mistletoe keeps its leaves in winter so it can use them for photosynthesis. But it can't photosynthesize for long without water - which it has to obtain from the host! So why is it evergreen and not deciduous? I don't know the complete answer but trees will start their sap rising long before any leaves unfurl so there would be some advantage in already having its leaves, water can also be absorbed directly along with nutrients through leaves (hence folia feeding) so in winter it may not be entirely dependant on the host plants sap Yes, certainly in terms of the Norway Maple Pam mentioned. The sap would already have been rising last month. In fact this year I did some late maple pruning around Christmas, thinking that the colder weather would have slowed things down. A big mistake! A medium-small branch on A. cappidocicum ssp sinense (A. sinense) bled and bled for weeks, through the deep freeze the sap expanded and cracked the cambium below the cut down for several inches. I really hope I haven't damaged it permanently... -E |
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