Viscum album

6 Jan

Viscum album (01/01/2012, Horní Bečva, Czech Republic)

Position: Full sun in winter, shade in summer

Flowering period: Early spring

Soil: N/A

Eventual Height: 1m

Eventual Spread: 1m

Hardiness: 6b, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

Family: Santalaceae

Viscum album is an evergreen hemiparasitic shrub which grows on the stems of trees. The green/ yellow leaves are in opposite pairs, entire, up to 8cm long, 2.5cm broad and leathery in texture. Branches. The dioecious flowers are yellow/ green and only 3mm in diameter. The fruits are white/ yellow and contain one seed in a sticky pulp. The roots of this plant embed themselves into the phloem and xylem of the host tree to provide anchorage, water and nutrients.

Viscum album , commonly known as European Mistletoe or Common Mistletoe, is native to Europe (including the UK) and west and southern Asia. As this plant is hemiparasitic it does photosynthesis as well as obtaining water, mineral nutrients and part of their organic nutrients from the host tree. It will slightly reduce the vigor of the host tree. It is commonly found on Apple, Lime, Hawthorn and Poplar. Mistletoe is on the decline in the UK due to the removal of orchards and hedgerows, two valuable sources of host plants. Mistletoe has historically been surrounded by myths and legends. All parts of this plant are poisons if ingested.

The etymological root of the binomial name Viscum is from the ancient Latin name for this plant. Album is derived from the Latin albus ‘white’, in reference to the white berries.

Viscum album in tree (01/01/2012, Horní Bečva, Czech Republic)

Although Viscum album is not particularly useful to the landscape architect it may provide wildlife benefit to a mixed native woodland. It can be introduced by smearing a berry (containing a seed) in February into the branch junction of an appropriate host tree.

Ecologically the berries Viscum album is a valuable source of winter food for birds.

Viscum album prefers Apple, Lime, Hawthorn and Poplar trees as a growing medium and will not grow in soil.

Viscum album requires no maintenance.