Dwarf Mistletoe Management

Once you know that your trees have succumb to dwarf mistletoe, you’ll need to take steps to manage the parasites. The good news is the parasites don’t kill the trees quickly, which means you can opt for long-term options. However, you will need to look out for beetle infestations, as they can migrate to infected trees and cause a quicker death.

Here are your dwarf mistletoe management options.

Start with Pruning or Tree Removal
The best way to tackle the parasite is to remove it. This will usually mean pruning the tree or even taking more serious steps to remove the full tree. It’s possible for the seeds to shoot out at 60mph. While they only cover up to 2ft per year on most occasions, the seeds are sticky and can take a few years to see that there is a problem. Removing when you notice can be the best way to prevent the spread getting worse.
Remove any seriously infested trees. They aren’t going to recover from the damage and they are more susceptible to other infections and infestations. You’ll also want to remove the trees with higher infestations of the parasite, since it’s harder to just prune them. Pruning can help to keep some of the beauty in the area. This is the option when the infestations are less severe. Remove the newly infected branches on a yearly basis. Eventually you will get all the dwarf mistletoe.

Steps After Pruning
One of the best things about the mistletoe is that the parasite will die as soon as you’ve pruned the branch. Unlike other diseases, there’s no need to burn the branches right away afterwards.
If you are going to prune, keep around 30% of the branches. This could mean leaving a few of the infection ones, but it will help to ensure the life of the tree. You can then work on those branches a few years later.