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Lysiana exocarpi

harlequin mistletoe

Loranthaceae

Arid and semi-arid mainland Australia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Lysiana exocarpi is an evergreen aerial hemiparasite that grows on the branches of host trees and shrubs, forming a pendulous clump 1.5-5 feet (0.5-1.5 m) across. It attaches to the host through a haustorium, drawing water and minerals while making its own sugars. The stems are slender and drooping, bearing thick, narrow, grey-green leaves 1-2.5 inches (2.5-6 cm) long that often fall in dry periods. Tubular flowers 0.8-1.4 inches (2-3.5 cm) long are red with green to yellow tips and curve outward, opening over much of the year. The flowers are followed by oval berries about 0.3 inch (8 mm) long that ripen red to black and hold a sticky seed. Growth depends on the health of the host, and a heavy infestation can weaken or kill branches. Birds, especially the mistletoebird, eat the berries and spread the seed onto new branches. The plant has no roots in the ground and cannot grow without a host.

Native Range

Native to the arid and semi-arid interior and southern parts of mainland Australia, across all mainland states. Grows perched on the branches of host trees and shrubs in woodland, mallee, and shrubland, commonly on Acacia spp., Casuarina spp., and Exocarpos spp..

Suggested Uses

Found in natural woodland and revegetation as a food source for nectar-feeding and fruit-eating birds rather than a planted ornamental. It establishes naturally where host plants and seed-dispersing birds are present. It is not grown as a garden plant because it requires a living host.

How to Identify

Identified as a drooping clump on the branches of a host plant, with slender stems and thick grey-green leaves 1-2.5 inches (2.5-6 cm) long. The red tubular flowers 0.8-1.4 inches (2-3.5 cm) long with green to yellow tips separate it from co-occurring mistletoes. Unlike the host foliage around it, the leaves hang and are often a different colour and texture.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'6" - 5'

Width/Spread1'6" - 5'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~30 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

Flowers over much of the year, with heavier flushes in spring and summer. Individual flowers last 1-2 weeks, and a clump can carry flowers across several months. Flowering and fruiting follow rainfall and the condition of the host.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

red with green to yellow tips

Foliage Description

grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 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

This species grows only as a parasite on a living host and is not cultivated by ordinary means. In the wild it depends entirely on the host for water and minerals, so its survival follows the host condition. Heavy mistletoe loads draw water from the host and can cause branch dieback during drought. Seed is spread by birds that wipe the sticky seed onto bark, where it germinates and forms a haustorium. Natural numbers are held in check by possums and caterpillars that feed on the foliage. Removal from a host is done by cutting off the affected branch below the attachment point.

Pruning

On garden or amenity trees, cut the host branch 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) below the mistletoe attachment, as cutting only the visible stems allows regrowth from the embedded haustorium. Light, occasional infestations need no action. Repeated heavy infestations are reduced by removing affected branches over several seasons.