Spraying for Mistletoe on Pine Trees
Dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) is a big problem in Douglas County, with many older properties full of infestation that can easily be transferred over to healthier new trees on your property. Mistletoe removal is a challenging task. Spraying for Mistletoe on pine trees gives you an option to get to this parasite in hard to reach areas.
Mistletoe on pine trees is a leafless parasitic plant that grows on a variety of trees. We often see it growing on Dougals-firs, lodgepole, limber, pinyon and ponderosa pines in Colorado.
Signs of a Mistletoe on Pine Trees
It appears as small yellow to green leafless plants on branches and trunks. Its lifecycle from germination to dissemination lasts 6 years. Spreading of dwarf mistletoe on pine trees occurs when sticky seeds shoot from the plant and stick to the branches and needles of the neighboring trees.
Mistletoe damages and weakens the trees by absorbing both the water and nutrients from the tree. Heavy infestation weakens, causes deformation of a tree, and eventually kills the tree. Often a tree that is stressed already by drought or disease will die. A tree weakened by dwarf mistletoe is an easy target for Rocky Mountain, Ips beetle attack and other insects and diseases.
Preventing & Controlling Mistletoe Infestations
Mistletoe management often requires a number of solutions. Some of the mitigation can be taken care of by cutting off branches that are infected.
Cutting the mistletoe out of a tree can be done if the parasite is in the early stages and not too much of the tree is compromised. However for trees that have a large infestation the best option might be to cut the tree down and plant a less susceptible tree in the area.
Another method of mistletoe management is spraying with growth regulating chemical. It will remove mistletoe shoots, reduce seed production, and prevent infection of new trees. Spraying will not eliminate the entire plant, just the shoot. So retreatment is necessary until infected trees are removed. With spraying you can treat mistletoe infestations in hard to reach areas and prevent spreading of the parasite to other areas.
The professionals at SprayTech can assess the situation for you and give you an idea of the best options to control and stop the mistletoe on pine trees from spreading to the healthy trees on your property.
Serving the South Metro Denver, Castle Rock, Larkspur contact us today to learn more about our mistletoe spraying services.
