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Amyema pendula

drooping mistletoe

Loranthaceae South-eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow

HardinessZones 8–11

Overview

Amyema pendula is an evergreen aerial hemiparasitic shrub in the Loranthaceae that grows on the branches of host trees, mainly eucalypts, forming a pendulous clump 1.5-6.5 feet (0.5-2 m) across. It attaches to the host through a modified root, the haustorium, which draws water and minerals, while its own green leaves photosynthesise. The leaves are leathery, narrow, and drooping, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long, grey-green, and resemble the foliage of the eucalypt host, a mimicry that can make the parasite hard to spot. Red to orange-red tubular flowers about 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) long appear in clusters and are pollinated by birds. Small fleshy fruit follows, eaten by mistletoebirds that spread the sticky seeds to other branches. Heavy infestations stress and can kill host branches. The plant depends on a living host and cannot grow rooted in soil. It occurs in open eucalypt forest and woodland.

Native Range

Native to south-eastern Australia, across Victoria, New South Wales, southern Queensland, and South Australia. Grows in open eucalypt forest, woodland, and along watercourses, wherever suitable host trees occur.

Suggested Uses

Not planted as a garden subject, as it requires a living host tree and can damage it. Retained in habitat and conservation plantings, where it supports nectar-feeding birds, the mistletoebird, and butterflies whose larvae feed on the foliage. Studied in revegetation for its role in woodland food webs.

How to Identify

Recognised by pendulous grey-green leaves 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long hanging in clumps from the branches of a host tree, and clusters of red to orange-red tubular flowers about 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) long. The drooping habit and host attachment separate it from the surrounding tree foliage, which it closely resembles. The swollen attachment point on the host branch marks the haustorium.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'6" - 6'6"

Width/Spread1'6" - 6'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

red

orange

Foliage Colors

grey green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowers mainly in summer and autumn, roughly December to April, with red tubular flowers carried in stalked clusters. Birds, especially honeyeaters, pollinate the flowers. Fleshy fruit ripens in the months after flowering and is spread by mistletoebirds.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Red to orange-red

Foliage Description

Grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-4 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows only as a parasite on the branches of living host trees, mainly eucalypts, and cannot be cultivated in soil. It establishes when a mistletoebird wipes a sticky seed onto a host branch, where the seed germinates and penetrates the bark. Light infestations cause little harm, but heavy loads draw water and nutrients from the host and can kill branches or stress the tree during drought. Removal involves pruning the affected host branch below the attachment point. Mistletoe is a natural part of woodland ecosystems and supports many birds and insects.

Pruning

Where control is wanted, prune the host branch below the swollen attachment point, as cutting only the mistletoe leaves the haustorium to regrow. Repeated removal may be needed where mistletoebirds reintroduce seed. On valued host trees, removing heavily infested limbs reduces stress on the tree.