Mistletoe berries

[Hoy]

I am interested in ripe mistletoe berries if someone has any to spare.

[daveyp1970]

Hoy the lime trees are full of them near me what sort quantity are you after?

[brianw]

According to this months RHS "The Garden", mistletoe ripens in February - March in the UK, although "berries from Christmas can be used, if stored in cold and light conditions". So you may be asking too early.
There is mistletoe growing on numerous trees in this area, but rarely low down and mostly 30-40' up in the trees, so I have never been able to get berries early in the year to try.

[daveyp1970]

They are low down here with in head height in a friends orchard as well. Hoy pm your address and when they are ready i'll get you some.

[Hoy]

Brian, I read the Garden too! It was there I actually got the idea to try establishing some plants in my garden. Mistletoe is very rare in Norway and it is almost impossible to get hold of berries.
However I choose to ask in good time!

Davey, thank you very much!

[Brian Ellis]

I think you also need to specify what host trees you have Hoy, as the best take is on those growing on the same tree.

[daveyp1970]

Brian my friend took the berries from the limetrees to put on his apple and they took, well one tree and they have spread now,i am going down there soon i will take pics.

[Brian Ellis]

Perhaps an old wives tale then Davey, but perhaps it's that they take more easily on the same host?

[johnw]

Hoy - I suppose hardiness is not an issue for you but here it is.  A friend once sent seed of his mistletoe that was growing in Enkoping, Sweden, it's a tad colder there than here and he thought they would be hardy enough as opposed to other one he had tried.  I put them on a Tilia x europea but they didn't take. They certainly stuck fast to the tree with that goopy slime they're in.

I think he recommended not to put them in a windy spot.

johnw - +13c and rain

[David Pilling]

Mistletoe with berries - available at my local greengrocer now. I read recently that it will grow on ash, which opens a possibility to me.

[ruweiss]

We saw this rich population of mistletoes growing rather high on old
appletrees in late March this year.

[Brian Ellis]

I think he recommended not to put them in a windy spot.

I was told to rub them underneath the branch, at a fork, on the lee side of the tree.

[Alan_b]

Read all about it here http://mistletoematters.wordpress.com/ ?

[johnw]

I was told to rub them underneath the branch, at a fork, on the lee side of the tree.

Brian  - Those are the precise instructions I was given by friend in Enkoping.

Hoy - Seems to me the seeds had to be fresh and the host breaking dormance.  Here in fact is his email sent in Feb 2005: "I think it is best to send you fresh Mistletoe seeds perhaps in April so you direct can put it on branches of for example Sorbus or Tilia that starts being active."  Seeds arrived and were "planted" 10 May 2005.  On 26 June 2007 he checked in: "The mistletoe: you should have see results by now - canīt you try to put seeds on a Sorbus or Malus ? I can send you more seeds if you whant ?"

So I assume seed must be ripe in spring - at least on whichever Genus and species he sent me - I recall it was not the British one, maybe a hardy form of the German one.  Also that results may not be apparent the first year. is that true?

johnw       - +5 & plunging.

[Hoy]

Thank you for your advise, guys!

Brian, I have several kinds of broad-leaved trees! So I intend to try sowing on a lot of them!

And I will to try to get more than one plant on each tree to increase the chance of getting berries as the mistletoe is dioecious. They should germinate and grow one root during the first season and they need bright light to germinate. Fresh seed is best but can be stored from a Xmas picking. The seeds ripe in late winter.

I have never seen mistletoe for sale here, even not at Xmas. As it is picked early I assume the seeds are not ripe either.

John, hardiness shouldn't be an issue either, neither is wind where I intend to try them!