Mistletoe shrubs tap host xylem while making their own sugars
Leafy mistletoes are hemiparasites: green enough to photosynthesize, yet they sink haustoria into host branches to steal water and dissolved minerals from the xylem stream.
Birds spread sticky seeds onto new limbs after eating the berries. Heavy infestations can weaken crowns, while light loads add nectar and nest sites for wildlife.
Mistletoe is not a full thief of sugar. It farms light with its own leaves and only hijacks the host’s plumbing for drink and nutrients.
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