North Carolina Wildflowers

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Viscaceae

Oak Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum)
DareCo., NC
3 Mar 2006

Common in the coastal plain, fairly common in the piedmont, and uncommon in the mountains, Oak Mistletoe is an evergreen parasite on various hardwoods. Pictured here on blooming Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Oak Mistletoe has also been called American Mistletoe, which might be a better name as it is often found on many non-oak species of trees.

Oak Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) on Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
DareCo., NC
3 Mar 2006

Oak Mistletoe is the caterpillar host plant for Great Purple Hairstreaks (Atlides halesus).


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on May 7, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com