Practical
Plants

Phoradendron leucarpum

False Mistletoe

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Phoradendron genus in the family Viscaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Viscaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
1 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

There are recorded cases of the berries poisoning people[4]. Contact with the plant can cause dermatitis in some people[5].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A tea made from the leaves is said to procure abortions and also to prevent conception[4]. It causes an increase in uterine contractions and helps to stop bleeding after parturition[4]. When injected into the blood it increases blood pressure[4].

Product or use
Abortifacient
Product or use
Contraceptive
Product or use
Oxytoxic

Environment

Range
N. America - New Jersey to Florida, west to Illinois and Texas.
Habitat
A parasite growing on deciduous trees, especially Acer rubrum and Nyssa spp[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

This is a parasitic plant that grows entirely on the host tree. To grow it you need to obtain berries and squash them onto the branches of host trees in late autumn and early winter[2]. This is best done on the lower side of the branch[1]. It is then simply a matter of waiting and hoping.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A parasitic plant, growing on the branches of several deciduous species of trees. It has a wide range of hosts, though it is usually only found on one species in any given area[3]. The host tree must be at least 20 years old[3]. This species is seldom cultivated since it can severely weaken its host[3].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  5. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩

  6. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

    ↩

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