Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe
Last updated on January 30, 2025Arceuthobium americanum
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe seeds landing on a susceptible host germinate and infect the tree by growing a root-like structure that penetrates young bark.
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Description
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe causes widespread damage throughout interior lodgepole stands. Witches’ brooms are characterized by long, slender, rigidly upright branches, which are sparsely foliated with short needles.
Mistletoe aerial shoots are firmly anchored to infected stems and branches and are arranged in a whorled pattern with several shoots emerging from the node, a feature that distinguished this species of mistletoe from others. The yellowish-green shoots produce green berries containing sticky seeds.
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe can be found throughout the range of lodgepole pine in interior B.C. and has the widest range of the province’s dwarf mistletoe species.
Host tree species
Lodgepole pine is the most common host of this mistletoe species although ponderosa pine, jack pine and interior spruce are sometimes attacked.
Damage symptoms
Individual infected branches can appear swollen and are often fed upon by squirrels.
Infected younger trees can be killed by an infection before reaching a commercial size while more mature trees (60+ years) can have up to 30% less volume than lightly infected trees. Infection will also reduce wood quality due to deformity and canker formation.
Identification images
Further reading
Read the full unabridged text in the Field Guide to Forest Damage in B.C. (PDF, 6.6MB)