Yavapai County · Mistletoe Removal

Mistletoe removal in Prescott and the Verde Valley

Mistletoe is everywhere in Yavapai County once you start looking. Juniper mistletoe forms yellow-orange tufts in the junipers around Prescott and Chino Valley. Desert mistletoe hangs in the mesquite around Camp Verde and Cottonwood, and big leaf mistletoe grows in cottonwoods, ash and sycamores along the creeks. Dwarf mistletoe twists ponderosa pines into dense witches' brooms in the forest around Prescott.

Mistletoe is a parasite that takes water and nutrients from its host. A little is harmless, but a heavy infestation weakens a tree, especially in drought. Call (928) 766-TREE and a licensed local crew can cut out the infected limbs and tell you honestly whether the tree is worth saving.

Call (928) 766-TREE (928) 766-8733 · 24/7 storm line

Diagram of a branch with a mistletoe clump and its hidden root strands, with the pruning cut marked 12 inches below

Cut below the clumpInfected limbs pruned at least 12 inches below the visible mistletoe.
Host-by-host planA different approach for junipers, cottonwoods, mesquite and pines.
Honest triageA tree that is mostly mistletoe may be better removed than pruned every year.
Fire-awareBrooms and mistletoe clumps close to the house come out first.

Why cutting off the clump isn't enough

Mistletoe sends root-like strands, called haustoria, into the branch beneath the clump. Pull off the green part and it grows back from those strands within a couple of seasons. The lasting fix is to cut the infected branch off at least a foot below the visible mistletoe, back to a healthy side branch or to the trunk.

When the mistletoe sits on the main trunk or a big scaffold limb that can't come off without wrecking the tree, the next best option is to cut the clumps flush and wrap the spot in black plastic or another dark material to block the light. That slows regrowth but doesn't cure it, so expect to repeat it.

Dwarf mistletoe in ponderosa pine

Dwarf mistletoe matters most in the pine country around Prescott, Groom Creek and the Bradshaw foothills. It looks nothing like the leafy kind: small yellow-brown shoots on pine branches, and its signature is the witches' broom, a dense, twisted mass of branches. Infected trees grow slowly, lose vigor and become easier targets for bark beetles. Brooms also hold dead needles and resin, and can carry fire into the crown.

Lightly infected pines can be pruned to remove brooms from the lower half of the tree. Heavily infected trees, especially with brooms in the upper crown, rarely recover, and they shoot seed onto the younger pines around them. In those stands, removing the worst trees protects the rest.

Is it worth treating?

On a big shade cottonwood in Cottonwood or a prized mesquite in Camp Verde, careful pruning every few years can keep mistletoe in check for decades. On a juniper that's half mistletoe and already declining in drought, the money is often better spent on removing it and planting something that isn't a host.

Winter is a good time to spot mistletoe in deciduous trees, because the evergreen clumps stand out once the leaves drop. Birds spread the seeds, so new infections will appear over time, and catching small clumps early costs far less than rescuing a tree that's been taken over.

Why call this line

What you can count on

Licensed, insured

Every company we send holds an Arizona ROC license and liability insurance. Ask to see both.

Written quote first

A price in writing before work starts, with stump grinding and haul-off listed separately.

Local to the county

Crews based around Prescott and the Verde Valley who know the trees and the terrain.

Storm calls 24/7

Trees on homes, cars and driveways, any hour of the day or night.

Questions

Questions about mistletoe removal

Will mistletoe kill my tree?

A few clumps rarely kill a healthy tree. Heavy infestations weaken trees over the years, and combined with drought or bark beetles they can contribute to a tree's death, especially in junipers and pines.

Can I just pull the mistletoe off?

You can, but it grows back from the tissue inside the branch. Pruning the branch at least 12 inches below the clump is the lasting fix.

Is there a spray for mistletoe?

Growth regulator products can knock back leafy mistletoe for a while, but they don't kill the part inside the branch. Pruning is still the main treatment.

Does mistletoe spread to other trees?

Yes. Birds spread leafy mistletoe seeds, and dwarf mistletoe in pines shoots its seeds onto nearby trees. Removing infected material helps protect the neighbors.