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Amyema quandang

grey mistletoe

Loranthaceae Australia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Amyema quandang is an evergreen aerial hemiparasite that grows as a pendulous clump 20-60 inches (50-150 cm) across on the branches of host trees. It attaches by a swollen union called a haustorium and draws water and minerals from the host sapwood while making its own sugars through grey foliage. Leaves are opposite, narrow and tapering, 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) long, leathery, and coated in dense grey hairs that give the plant a silvery-grey cast. Flowers are tubular, 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) long, red to orange, grouped in threes, and open through a slit to present pollen to feeding birds. Flowering occurs mainly in autumn and winter. The fruit is a fleshy berry about 0.3 inch (8 mm) long that ripens to pink or red and contains a single sticky seed. Honeyeaters take the nectar and the mistletoebird eats the fruit and deposits seeds on host branches. Primary hosts are Acacia spp. species, particularly Acacia victoriae and related wattles. Heavy infestations reduce host vigour and can kill individual branches. The grey foliage persists year-round.

Native Range

Native to Australia, occurring across inland and coastal regions of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Grows as a canopy parasite in open woodland and shrubland, most often on wattles in semi-arid country.

Suggested Uses

Functions as a nectar and fruit source for honeyeaters, the mistletoebird, and several butterfly species in native woodland. Not grown in gardens. In remnant vegetation it is retained as habitat where host trees can support it.

How to Identify

Recognized by pendulous clumps of narrow, grey, hairy leaves hanging from the branches of wattles and other hosts. Flowers are red to orange tubes, 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) long, in groups of three. The point of attachment forms a swollen woody union on the host branch. The grey, drooping foliage separates it from the green foliage of its host.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'8" - 5'

Width/Spread1'8" - 5'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Fall Winter

Flowers mainly in autumn and winter, though scattered bloom can occur at other times depending on region and rainfall. Individual clumps may flower over several weeks. Bird visitation peaks during the main flowering period.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

red to orange

Foliage Description

grey

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 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

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Not cultivated; it establishes naturally when birds deposit seeds on host branches. The seed germinates on bark and forms a haustorial connection rather than rooting in soil, so it has no independent water or nutrient needs. Growth and survival depend on the health of the host tree. Heavy mistletoe loads draw water from the host and can cause branch dieback during drought. Numbers are reduced by removing infested branches or by sustaining host vigour. Possums and the caterpillars of some butterflies feed on the foliage.

Pruning

Control is by cutting out infested host branches below the point of attachment, since the haustorium extends into the wood. Removing the visible clump alone does not kill the parasite. No pruning of the mistletoe itself is practiced in cultivation.