by DC Shaw, CA Lee
Resource Type: Journal article
Source: Botany (2020) 98(9)
Grades: Middle School and High School
European mistletoe was brought to California over a century ago to be grown and sold for Christmas decorations and medical tinctures. Things got out of hand, and mistletoe is still spreading like wildfire! Heavy infestations of mistletoe can kill a tree.
The researchers tracked this parasitic plant’s march from its original site in Sebastopol, and the results are jaw-dropping. In just the past 30 years, the mistletoe’s reach has more than tripled, infecting trees as far as 15 miles from where it was first planted. And it’s not just sticking to ornamental trees in people’s yards – this mistletoe is also invading the native riparian areas, putting a whole host of trees at risk. Yikes, talk about an unwelcome holiday guest!
Phenomena:
Competition for resources
Invasive pests
DCIs:
LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
LS2.C: Ecosystems dynamics, functioning, and resilience
Notes:
- Easy-to-understand and easy-to-replicate study in which the authors drove around Sonoma county looking for mistletoe.
- Interesting discussion of cultural significance of mistletoe in England.
- Helpful discussion of management options.
Driving questions:
- Are all nonnative plants invasive? Is mistletoe?
- How has or might the introduction of mistletoe lead to shifts in California’s native plant populations (MS) or native ecosystems (HS)?
Topics: California and invasive species
Features: data table and map