Dark clumps in Juniper are mistletoe |
General: Juniper Mistletoe (Phoradendron juniperinum) is a parasitic plant that lives on juniper trees. The plant appears as dark clumps among the lighter-green juniper branches. The stems are green, cylindrical, and jointed, and the berries are white with a dark spot at the tip.
Juniper Mistletoe is a fairly common component of vegetation communities with Utah Juniper, places such as rocky washes and rocky hillsides in the Upper Sonoran (Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zones.
Family: Mistletoe (Santalaceae; formerly Viscaceae)
Other Names: |
Juniper Mistletoe stems and berries |
Seeds: held within white berries
Habitat: Pinyon-Juniper Woodland
Elevation: 5,500 to 7,500 feet
Distribution: Oregon to Wyoming and Texas, and south to Nevada and California.
Comments: Don't eat the berries. |