Common name: Western dwarf mistletoe
Scientific name: Arceuthobium campylopodum
In the Pacific Northwest this species of parasitic mistletoe is most commonly found on western Hemlock trees (Tsuga heterophylla). It is often not noticed because is occurs in mid- to high-canopy of the forest. Dwarf mistletoe sinks its roots into the phloem of the tree, ingesting its sugars and carbohydrates. The mistletoe infection can make a tree weak, allowing other pests like wood-boring beetles and parasitic fungi to infect its wood. Eventually the tree will die, opening up the canopy for other Douglas-fir seedlings and plants to grow. Dwarf mistletoe also plays a positive role in creating habitat for organisms in the canopy. The vegetative growth of the mistletoe creates platforms on which marbled murrelets and spotted owls nest.
