G'day Gary,
Mistletoebirds are certainly attracted to mistletoes but here in The
Riverland in Sth. Aust. mistletoebirds feed on grapes that are left after
harvest and usually on vines that have lost their leaves, I have also been
told of them eating the berries of the intruded peppercorn tree, Schinus
areira.
Mistletoes can be grown in your trees in your garden but the process is very
slow because mistletoes usually are very slow growing, although, if planted
on a rapid growing tree or shrub they will grow quicker. Please don't be put
off by people telling you that the mistletoes will overtake and kill your
plants, this is an "urban myth" why would a long living, semi-parasite, kill
it's host, if the host is living in a healthy environment, both the host
and mistletoe will survive happily.
You can propagate mistletoes by selecting ripe seeds from a plant and place
them on a small ( no thicker than a pencil ) twig on a host of the same
family that the plant is growing on. There are many species of mistletoe,
each with their own specific host on which they grow.
Mistletoes also attract many other birds and butterflies, so, best of luck,
both mistltoes and mistletoebirds are beautiful things to have in your
garden and will give you lots of pleasure.
Doug Holly
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