How to Grow Mistletoe?

[GBDBlog]

Hi guys,

After reading this article - redshed.co.uk/blog/how-to-grow-mistletoe/ I am looking for more tips on how to grow mistletoe from those that have some experience in doing so and know when the best time to plant is to have it ready in time for Christmas?

Or is it, in your opinion, better to buy plastic or ready-grown mistletoe?

Only 76 days until xmas now - excited!

See here OP, I know it eventually killed my Aunt's tree. I note it says here to expect it to take 5 years to produce berries! Not sure I could be arsed, personally...

Yeah, I was thinking that 5 years is a long time! That's the part that kind of put me off to be honest. But is it worth the wait, I'm not sure? I do have a few shrubs that are suitable and don't bear fruit so won't be damaged too badly.

It's a parasitic plant that lives of the tree it is climbing on. If you want fresh mistletoe it's probably best to buy a bunch.

Remember that it will dry up if inside a hot home, probably only last a week, and the berries will drop off. Be very careful of this if you have pets or young DC, or even visiting pets and DC as the berries are poisonous if eaten. If I were you I'd go for a good artificial mistletoe for indoors. If you have a cold external porch, that would be the best place for a fresh mistletoe bunch.

Thanks for the advice girlywhirly. I'm wondering if any of the supermarkets will have some good quality mistletoe to buy this year. Great tips about the berries as I wasn't aware of how toxic they actually were. What makes it dry up so quickly inside the home?

Any fresh foliage without a water supply will dry up with just the room heat. As mistletoe is usually hung from the ceiling or a doorway the heat is greater (as heat rises) and also the time of year means we have central heating on longer. We tend to forget that before central heating houses were a lot colder if relying on open fires, and some areas of the home weren't heated at all. So fresh foliage decorations often weren't put up until Christmas eve, and mistletoe might have been in a cold unheated hall. They would have only been expected to last a week usually.

Markets often have mistletoe.

Off I go to the market I think :D Thanks