In message , David Hill
writes
On 29/11/2012 23:05, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Christina Websell" wrote ...

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote
Bob Hobden writes
Seems to be a significant increase in the stuff around here over the
last decade. Used to be quite rare but now it's everywhere you look
on all sorts of trees. Even on small Rowans in the central
reservation of a local road. What's the experience of others?

Mistletoe is fairly local. It seems to be most commonly found in
chalk country. There used to be a concentration in orchards in the
Gloucestershire/Herefordshire/Worcestershire area, but recent records
from that area are relatively scarce.

The last mistletoe I saw wild was in Coventry a quarter of century ago.
I've never seen mistletoe growing wild here in Leics.
I have some ancient apple trees and thought about pressing a few seeds
from bought stuff into the bark but I found out that's a bad idea as
most Christmas mistletoe is imported.
I'd really like some home grown mistletoe, does anyone know how to get
berries and if I did, is there a skill to it?

The berries are not ripe until well after Christmas, Feb/Mar time and
just need scraping off onto the top of a suitable branch. It does need
light to grow and is very slow.
I always understood that it was variety specific, that is mistletoe
from apple would only grow on apple, where as that from poplars would
only grow on poplars and so on.
When you are on the A449 going to the Midlands from South Wales there
are loads of trees with mistletoe along the roadside.

A quick google finds papers recognising 3 host races - one from
angiospermous trees, one from silver fir, and one from pine.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

The wikipedia article indicates that different subspecies of Viscum album are fussy about their host tree, but that you will find in UK is likely all V.album subsp album which appears to be rather catholic about its host, though it is rarely found on oak and never on conifers; other subspecies specialise in these but are not found in UK.

This page from Kew has some notes on their attempts to grow it, and it does not appear to be host specific, they got seed from one collection to grow on diverse hosts, though with a lot of failures. They seem not to have tried the birdpoo trick, and did not think nicking the bark was necessary. They note that light is essential to germination, so the birdpoo should be around but not covering the seed, and don't do the covering with moss I suggested.
Plants & Fungi: Viscum album (mistletoe) - Species profile from Kew
Sounds like I was quite lucky given their success rate.

On 30/11/2012 14:47, echinosum wrote:

David Hill;974054 Wrote:
I always understood that it was variety specific, that is mistletoe from

apple would only grow on apple, where as that from poplars would only
grow on poplars and so on.
The wikipedia article indicates that different subspecies of Viscum
album are fussy about their host tree, but that you will find in UK is
likely all V.album subsp album which appears to be rather catholic about
its host, though it is rarely found on oak and never on conifers; other
subspecies specialise in these but are not found in UK.

This page from Kew has some notes on their attempts to grow it, and it
does not appear to be host specific, they got seed from one collection
to grow on diverse hosts, though with a lot of failures. They seem not
to have tried the birdpoo trick, and did not think nicking the bark was
necessary. They note that light is essential to germination, so the
birdpoo should be around but not covering the seed, and don't do the
covering with moss I suggested.
'Plants & Fungi: Viscum album (mistletoe) - Species profile from Kew'
(http://tinyurl.com/bws8347)
Sounds like I was quite lucky given their success rate.


I also seem to remember being told that the seeds stuck to the birds
beaks and got transferred to the branches when they tried to clean their
beaks.
If the seed had gone through then it would be deposited away from branches.

"echinosum" wrote


David Hill;
I always understood that it was variety specific, that is mistletoe from

apple would only grow on apple, where as that from poplars would only
grow on poplars and so on.
The wikipedia article indicates that different subspecies of Viscum
album are fussy about their host tree, but that you will find in UK is
likely all V.album subsp album which appears to be rather catholic about
its host, though it is rarely found on oak and never on conifers; other
subspecies specialise in these but are not found in UK.

This page from Kew has some notes on their attempts to grow it, and it
does not appear to be host specific, they got seed from one collection
to grow on diverse hosts, though with a lot of failures. They seem not
to have tried the birdpoo trick, and did not think nicking the bark was
necessary. They note that light is essential to germination, so the
birdpoo should be around but not covering the seed, and don't do the
covering with moss I suggested.
'Plants & Fungi: Viscum album (mistletoe) - Species profile from Kew'
(http://tinyurl.com/bws8347)
Sounds like I was quite lucky given their success rate.


I've been reading up too. Turns out the best distributor of seed is the
Blackcap which squeezes out the seed onto a branch without it being through
it's gut, whereas the Mistle Thrush passes it through and it then might or
might not land on a suitable branch. Although Thrushes seem to be reducing
there has been a significant increase in Blackcaps over the last 10 years,
I've had them in my garden, which may well explain the increase/spread of
Mistletoe from it's previously rather specific areas.
Whilst driving round today up at Englefield Green there are trees that look
to be evergreen but it's all mistletoe, we know lots of the large trees in
The Great Park, Windsor are also showing large plants up in the branches.
Also on the large trees by the Tea Room on Runnymede Meadow. There are some
on the outskirts of Chobham Common over on the Chobham side although most of
the trees on the Common are Birch and pine (not hosts). Towards Chertsey
there are some small Rowans in the central reservation by Thorpe Park that
all seem to be infected and we noticed some trees inside the Penton Hook
Marina nearby. Also seen infected trees out Esher way.
Fascinating driving around spotting 'toe trees in the winter sun. :-)

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

Christina Websell;974020 Wrote:
"I've never seen mistletoe growing wild here in Leics.
I have some ancient apple trees and thought about pressing a few seeds
from
bought stuff into the bark but I found out that's a bad idea as most
Christmas mistletoe is imported.
I'd really like some home grown mistletoe, does anyone know how to get
berries and if I did, is there a skill to it?

Tina
Mistletoe is common in more westerly counties. In a short walk around
edges of Cheltenham saw loads of the stuff, for example. So visit to
collect some. Berries are showing now, I've picked them as late as
March. Perhaps later picking is better as seeds are more likely to be
ripe.

Cut a nick in the bark through to the wood, put seed in with some
birdpoo collected from under your seed-feeder, and cross your fingers.
It grows on all sorts of trees, and isn't limited to Rosaceae even. Some
attempt to keep moist, perhaps with some moss tied over the top might
help. Do a few seeds as not all will germinate.

I do not have any English mistletoe berrries. I want to get some.

Have you been reading the article in the Garden too?

I liked the yellow berried mistletoe species that they pictured. And was amazed by the 3 year old mistletoe - about an inch of stem and two leaves.

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

Bob Hobden;973806 Wrote:
Seems to be a significant increase in the stuff around here over the
last
decade. Used to be quite rare but now it's everywhere you look on all
sorts
of trees. Even on small Rowans in the central reservation of a local
road.
What's the experience of others?
In general I think it is more common in moister parts of the country, so
it may just be responding to recent weather conditions. Also, my
experience, related below, is that they are slow growing.

About 10 years ago, I spread mistletoe seeds I collected onto nicks on
various trees in my garden, and it germinated on about 3, and survived
on 1, being a crab apple. I subsequently learned I woudl have helped by
giving it some bird poo, as they are normally excreted by birds onto
trees. It has taken quite a long time for it to grow very much. Also
the leaves frequently get eaten by something or other. It has just
produced its first berries, 4 of them. But it still isn't big enough to
harvest, not like the big balls of mistletoe you see in some trees.

But how can I get some english mistletoe berries to put on my old apple
trees?

Since nobody in urg has offered you any, you'll have to travel to the W of england where it is abundant, and pick your own.

There's an annual mistletoe fair at Tenbury Wells, so english mistletoe is getting in to the market. Try googling for that, and see if it gives you any clue as to how to buy. You've plenty of time - RHS reckons spring is the best time to plant.

About 10 years ago, I spread mistletoe seeds I collected onto nicks on
various trees in my garden, and it germinated on about 3, and survived
on 1, being a crab apple. I subsequently learned I woudl have helped by
giving it some bird poo, as they are normally excreted by birds onto
trees. It has taken quite a long time for it to grow very much. Also
the leaves frequently get eaten by something or other. It has just
produced its first berries, 4 of them. But it still isn't big enough to
harvest, not like the big balls of mistletoe you see in some trees.

But how can I get some english mistletoe berries to put on my old apple
trees?


You need to go to somewhere like Hereford market where they sell local
Mistletoe mostly from the local orchards.

Home of the English Mistletoe Comapny

On 01/12/2012 23:04, Christina Websell wrote:
. uk wrote in message
...

Bob Hobden;973806 Wrote:
Seems to be a significant increase in the stuff around here over the
last
decade. Used to be quite rare but now it's everywhere you look on all
sorts
of trees. Even on small Rowans in the central reservation of a local
road.
What's the experience of others?
In general I think it is more common in moister parts of the country, so
it may just be responding to recent weather conditions. Also, my
experience, related below, is that they are slow growing.

About 10 years ago, I spread mistletoe seeds I collected onto nicks on
various trees in my garden, and it germinated on about 3, and survived
on 1, being a crab apple. I subsequently learned I woudl have helped by
giving it some bird poo, as they are normally excreted by birds onto
trees. It has taken quite a long time for it to grow very much. Also
the leaves frequently get eaten by something or other. It has just
produced its first berries, 4 of them. But it still isn't big enough to
harvest, not like the big balls of mistletoe you see in some trees.

But how can I get some english mistletoe berries to put on my old apple
trees?





Wouldn't they sell local mistletoe at the Leicester Christmas Market?

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

"kay" wrote


Bob Hobden Wrote:

I've been reading up too. Turns out the best distributor of seed is the

Blackcap which squeezes out the seed onto a branch without it being
through
it's gut, whereas the Mistle Thrush passes it through and it then might
or
might not land on a suitable branch. Although Thrushes seem to be
reducing
there has been a significant increase in Blackcaps over the last 10
years,


Have you been reading the article in the Garden too?

I liked the yellow berried mistletoe species that they pictured. And was
amazed by the 3 year old mistletoe - about an inch of stem and two
leaves.


Yes, fascinating article and I too was amazed at how slow it grows. They
seem to suggest each break/split in the stem is another year so easy to age
those you see in the shops, possibly ten years of growth.
The yellow berried one that grows on oak on the continent had me thinking
about the "Golden Mistletoe" of the druids which was supposed to grow on
oak. I'm now wondering if the druids were responsible for it's extinction in
the UK.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 02/12/2012 18:29, Bob Hobden wrote:
"kay" wrote


Bob Hobden Wrote:

I've been reading up too. Turns out the best distributor of seed is the

Blackcap which squeezes out the seed onto a branch without it being
through
it's gut, whereas the Mistle Thrush passes it through and it then might
or
might not land on a suitable branch. Although Thrushes seem to be
reducing
there has been a significant increase in Blackcaps over the last 10
years,


Have you been reading the article in the Garden too?

I liked the yellow berried mistletoe species that they pictured. And was
amazed by the 3 year old mistletoe - about an inch of stem and two
leaves.


Yes, fascinating article and I too was amazed at how slow it grows. They
seem to suggest each break/split in the stem is another year so easy to
age those you see in the shops, possibly ten years of growth.
The yellow berried one that grows on oak on the continent had me
thinking about the "Golden Mistletoe" of the druids which was supposed
to grow on oak. I'm now wondering if the druids were responsible for
it's extinction in the UK.

I must say I've never heard of Golden mistletoe.
The Druids are supposed to have harvested Mistletoe using a golden sickle.
I found this about golden Mistletoe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xerantheum/3779692425/

"Spider" wrote in message
...
On 01/12/2012 23:04, Christina Websell wrote:
. uk wrote in message
...

Bob Hobden;973806 Wrote:
Seems to be a significant increase in the stuff around here over the
last
decade. Used to be quite rare but now it's everywhere you look on all
sorts
of trees. Even on small Rowans in the central reservation of a local
road.
What's the experience of others?
In general I think it is more common in moister parts of the country, so
it may just be responding to recent weather conditions. Also, my
experience, related below, is that they are slow growing.

About 10 years ago, I spread mistletoe seeds I collected onto nicks on
various trees in my garden, and it germinated on about 3, and survived
on 1, being a crab apple. I subsequently learned I woudl have helped by
giving it some bird poo, as they are normally excreted by birds onto
trees. It has taken quite a long time for it to grow very much. Also
the leaves frequently get eaten by something or other. It has just
produced its first berries, 4 of them. But it still isn't big enough to
harvest, not like the big balls of mistletoe you see in some trees.

But how can I get some english mistletoe berries to put on my old apple
trees?





Wouldn't they sell local mistletoe at the Leicester Christmas Market?


We don't have a special Christmas Market. We have a market most days all
year.

But how can I get some english mistletoe berries to put on my old apple
trees?





Wouldn't they sell local mistletoe at the Leicester Christmas Market?


We don't have a special Christmas Market. We have a market most days all
year.


Our local Tesco are selling English Mistletoe