“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” ~ Zen Shin
It was an unseasonably warm day. I came home before the sun was down and spent some time outside with Wally. That’s when I saw it. Do you see it? Mistletoe is a parasite. It can kill its host tree. It usually doesn’t, but it can sure stunt growth. I don’t think I ever noticed mistletoe until Angie pointed it out to me when I was living in Oklahoma many years ago. Naturally, I started seeing it everywhere after that, and I still do. I don’t see it very often in city trees, though, and it doesn’t seem quite as prevalent in Kentucky as it is in Oklahoma (I’m not an arborist and mine is a very unscientific study, not that you thought otherwise). The photo below shows two bunches of it. I like the idea of mistletoe – and who doesn’t love a green sprig of it over the Christmas doorway – but I’m not entirely pleased to find it in an adjoining neighbor’s tree. It’s now close enough to my fruit trees to take up residence. On the other hand, I’d have my own holiday supply. I’ll let you know if I go into the mistletoe business.
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