© John Tann from Sydney, Australia, some rights reserved (CC-BY) · Wikimedia Commons
Muellerina spp.
SunFull Sun – Part Shade
Overview
Muellerina spp. is a genus of four aerial-stem mistletoes in the family Loranthaceae, endemic to eastern and southern Australia. These are woody hemiparasites that grow on the branches of host trees, attaching by a modified root structure (a haustorium) that taps the host for water and minerals while the mistletoe makes its own sugars through green leaves. Pendent or spreading leafy stems form clumps 1-6 feet (0.3-1.8 m) across in the host canopy, bearing leathery, opposite leaves. Tubular flowers in red, orange, pink, or green, about 0.8-1.2 inches (20-30 mm) long, are pollinated by birds, and the fleshy berries that follow are spread by mistletoe-eating birds that wipe the sticky seeds onto new branches. Muellerina eucalyptoides grows mainly on eucalypts. Because the genus lives only on living host trees, it is not grown in soil and is established in gardens only where suitable host trees already carry it.
Native Range
Muellerina spp. is endemic to eastern and southern Australia, where it grows perched on the branches of native trees in woodland, forest, and open country. Host trees include eucalypts, she-oaks, and other natives depending on the species.Suggested Uses
Used in habitat and wildlife gardens for the nectar-rich flowers and berries that support birds and insects in the tree canopy. Encountered in native bushland rather than as a planted ornamental, given its parasitic habit. Of interest in ecological and revegetation projects that retain host trees.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 6'
Width/Spread1' - 6'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Red, orange, pink, or greenFoliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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