SafePlants

Limber Pine Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium cyanocarpum)

Arceuthobium cyanocarpum, commonly known as limber pine dwarf mistletoe, is a parasitic plant affecting various pine species. This plant is a significant factor in the health and mortality of limber pines and other conifers.

Considerations for Pets

• Dwarf mistletoes parasitize their host, potentially weakening the tree.

Considerations for Children

• As a parasite, this plant may be found on various pine trees.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Arceuthobium cyanocarpum (A. Nelson ex Rydberg) Coulter & Nelson
• Family: Viscaceae
• Synonyms/Alternative Names:
  • Blue Berry Dwarf Mistletoe
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Note: The text also mentions a synonym, Cyanocarpum, and the accepted name Arceuthobium campylopodum for limber pine dwarf mistletoe.

Distribution and Habitat

• The limber pine dwarf mistletoe is found in the western USA, including the Rocky Mountain region, and specifically mentioned in southern Idaho.
• It parasitizes several species of white pine (subgenus Strobus), including limber pine, whitebark pine, foxtail pine and western white pine.

Ecological Role

• Arceuthobium cyanocarpum is a damaging parasite that robs its host of water and nutrients.
• It can cause a decline in health and increased mortality in affected trees.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Dwarf mistletoes are parasitic flowering plants.
• They cause conifers to produce an abnormal proliferation of branches, forming what are known as "witches' brooms."
• The aerial shoots of the mistletoe are the visible parts of the parasitic plant.

Quirky Facts

• The mistletoe is mentioned alongside Christmas traditions, although limber pine dwarf mistletoe is specified as being less common than other types of mistletoe associated with these traditions.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• It is often associated with other stressors on limber pines, such as white pine blister rust and bark beetles.
• The text mentions interactions with insects such as bud worms and bark beetles that can also damage limber pines.

Resources and Further Information

• Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet 171
• Forest Health Protection, Rocky Mountain Region
• USDA Forest Service
• Discover Life's page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Arceuthobium cyanocarpum
• Rocky Mountain Research Station/Forest Pathology
• Online fact sheet, USDA Forest Service Western Forest
• Garden Guides provides information, identification information on uses and more.