Wayne Wallace: School district acted fast to get rid of mistletoe

I would like to thank the Atwater Elementary School District for removing mistletoe from its trees at Elmer Wood School. The district reacted quickly after it was brought to its attention. Many times we see items and leave it to someone else. Instead, please report items that need attention to any responsible organization.

As you drive around Atwater, you can see many trees being destroyed by mistletoe. Mistletoe is a parasitic fungus with a root-like system that becomes embedded in its host, extracting nutrients and water. Pruning an infected branch kills the mistletoe on that branch. In removing mistletoe, cut the infected limb one to two feet below the plant, because mistletoe “roots” can extend up to a foot from either side of the point of attachment. Breaking off the tops only encourages regrowth. The bad news is that you cannot eliminate mistletoe unless all infected limbs are removed through pruning.

It takes years to have a tree to grow to shade proportion, which is why we often have shade trees. With leaves off the tree, it makes mistletoe very visible and a good time to prune.

This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Wayne Wallace: School district acted fast to get rid of mistletoe."