GYO Mistletoe Kit
Viscum album
There are over 900 different species of Mistletoe across the world, but we supply only this native British Mistletoe collected from local plants. Herefordshire is surely the best place in the country to find wild Mistletoe growing - one of its favourite hosts, the apple tree, grows here in abundance in the old cider orchards.
Mistletoe is a hemiparasite: it's green leaves mean that it can make it's own food, but it does tap into its host for a supply of water. This can mean that it slows the growth of its host, but you needn't worry that a small Mistletoe growing in its branches will kill off your favourite tree, Mistletoe is very slow growing and can easily be cut back if it gets too large. In return, the Mistletoe berries can help feed a large number of animals during the lean months of winter, and then there's all that kissing to be done.
Birds, such as the Mistle Thrush, ferry the Mistletoe seeds from the orchards to trees right across the county, making its lovely evergreen leaves and white berries a familiar sight in many a bare winter tree. If the birds are not bringing Mistletoe to your garden, it's a simple enough matter to do the job yourself with our Mistletoe seed pack. Mistletoe can be grown anywhere in the UK, so long as you have the right host tree or shrub. Apple trees are the first choice, but poplars, limes, false acacia, hawthorn and most shrubs of the Rosaceae all make good hosts too.
The berries can be ordered at any time, but we will only deliver them at the very end of Winter - sometime in late February or early March when the seeds have fully matured - to ensure successful germination. You simply squeeze the sticky seeds into a suitable crevice on the tree and wait. You should try to use all the seeds in the pack as success rates can be quite low: birds will try to eat many of them!
Each pack contains 15 seeds and comes with easy to follow, pictorial instructions on where and how to site the seeds for best results.
Available from early February until mid March.
Order now and we’ll despatch as soon as we have stock available. We are currently expecting to start despatching in early February.
Customer Reviews  (Based on 3 reviews)
Let us know what you think about your GYO Mistletoe Kit! Write a Wiggly Review and share your thoughts with other Wiggly Customers.
Here's what's been said already..
AbiM wrote this 5 star review
I bought some of these about 3 years ago and had great fun watching the little buds develop. We have just moved house and so I am getting some more! We stuck them on a crab apple tree and initially put a bit of masking tape over each one to protect it. At least 3 of them "took" - mind you the first year it is hard to see them, as the sort of green algae that grows on tree bark (especially N facing side) hides the buds, you have to remember where they were!
Antony Martin wrote this 5 star review
I planted my 15 mistletoe seeds in February 09 across 10 young lime trees that were newly planted in December 08. The trees were about 6 feet high and I put the seeds in the branch forks as advised.
Today, 14th September 09, there are 7 well established mistletoe seeds and each one appears to have put out two green stems which have attached themselves firmly to the branch on the lime tree.
I have just ordered 15 more to increase the numbers this coming February.
A wonderful and interesting product!
Maggie wrote this 3 star review
I 'planted' all my mistletoe seeds on my two apple trees last spring, according to instructions. Covered the small areas with netting to keep off the birds. Unfortunately nothing has developed. I have given it 3 stars for the interest value - going to inspect my 'mistletoe' at regular intervals to see if there was any development! Might just have to have another try this year.
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