As much forest as is being cleared for construction, it's rather easy to collect mistletoe if you're around at the right time.
I thought it was a parasitic plant rather than symbiotic.

shoot, it grows on lots of street trees if you just learn to look. before they ripped up the mall, there were some gorgeous huge spherical clusters fairly low to the ground in raleigh in the locust trees. i hope someone had the foresight to collect it when they ripped everything, but probably not. we collect it from back in the swamp behind our property. i've been meaning to take some fresh berries & inoculate some of our trees, but never get around to it. farmer's markets often will have locally collected, and sometimes large clusters that you just can't find in the regular stores.

it is parasitic, dottie.

Although this sounds like an exciting idea on the surface, I must say that I'm surprised that the article in Our State promotes growing mistletoe. Mistletoe is a parasite and can adversely affect the health of a tree...killing it over time.

Pam

Pam's comments tweaked my interest in learning more about how mistletoe affects it's host. This is what I found.

Here is a link that might be useful: Urban Forestry South article

Mistletoe is a hemiparasite, and I, too, am quite surprised that anyone would want to put their valuable trees at risk. I honestly can't fathom anyone writing such an article.

Mistletoe can affect Live Oaks, too, so it's found on evergreen species as well.

i didn't realize it would eventually kill the tree. i certainly see lots of huge oaks that are loaded up with it. i just assumed it stunted them some on that branch. interesting link. given that i'm surprised at the recommendation, too.

It takes several infestations on a single to tree to kill it, but that is something that can easily happen considering that the sticky seeds are not only carried about by birds (and other animals), but are self-propelling.

Here's the insidious thing about mistletoe: a healthy tree has the ability to fend off (they compartmentalize) disease, injury, etc. When mistletoe first germinates and sends roots into tree tissue, it has to 'fool' the tree into thinking that all is well. It does this by photosynthesizing so that it contributes energy resources to the tree body. Later on, when the mistletoe has fully integrated itself into the vascular system of the host plant, it ceases contributing to the tree and simply takes. Green cells still continue to photosynthesize, but the metabolites are used to make the parasite even larger.

This is a case of looking at a part of a picture and not the whole picture. It's the author's responsibility to present the whole picture. I too am amazed that a state magazine would advocate such a thing. To intentionally infect a tree is unthinkable. In so many places people are doing everything they can to destroy mistletoe infestations.

This article may be worth reading.

Here is a link that might be useful: NatGeo Mistltoe Article

Please don't encourage mistletoe. When that article came out in State, I complained politely to the editor, who referred me to the author, who rather condescendingly "explained" that he had in mind European mistletoe, not American mistletoe (which is the one we have here, is sold at Christmas, is a pest, all varieties of it and is the only relevant mistletoe for Western Hemisphere readers!) I asked for a follow-up warning, but they ignored me.

If you want the goods on mistletoe and what to do about it, see Univ of Georgia School of Forestry Adobe files. I recommend this one (the actual, pdf not the summary):

Here is a link that might be useful: pdf U of Ga Forestry mistletoe

This past August, we had a supposedly healthy 70 foot Oak uproot itself and fall during a wind and rain storm.
The rootball was so huge, the trunk was suspended about 12 feet off the ground.
We finally were able to get it on the ground and were surprised to find mistletoe had taken its hold all over the trunk.
I believe the mistletoe had weakened the tree.

If you are serious about infecting your tree with this parasite (or hemiparasite), I have a tree with ripe berries. Personally, I would not do it, but if you want to, drop me an email and I will send you seeds.

I have decided not to grow it, since it is not good for the health of trees. Thanks to all for enlightening me.