Colorado Desert Mistletoe: The Fascinating Parasitic Native You Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Grow
Meet one of nature’s most intriguing freeloaders: the Colorado Desert mistletoe (Phoradendron macrophyllum). This native plant has mastered the art of living rent-free, and while you might be curious about adding it to your garden, this is one plant that’s definitely not going on your shopping list. Let me explain why this desert dweller is better appreciated from afar.
What Exactly Is Colorado Desert Mistletoe?
Colorado Desert mistletoe is a perennial parasitic shrub that’s native to the southwestern United States. Unlike the mistletoe you might hang in your doorway during the holidays, this desert version has thick, leathery, oval-shaped leaves and forms distinctive clumps that can grow quite large on its host trees. It’s a true native plant, having called the lower 48 states home long before any of us arrived on the scene.
This woody parasite typically grows as a multi-stemmed shrub, usually staying under 13-16 feet in height, though it’s entirely dependent on its host tree for both structure and sustenance.
Where Does It Call Home?
You’ll find Colorado Desert mistletoe naturally occurring across the American Southwest, specifically in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. It thrives in the Sonoran and Mojave desert regions, where it has co-evolved with its preferred host trees over thousands of years.
Why You Can’t Grow It (And Shouldn’t Try)
Here’s where things get interesting—and why this plant won’t be joining your garden party anytime soon. Colorado Desert mistletoe is an obligate parasite, which means it absolutely cannot survive without a host tree. It draws all its water and nutrients directly from trees like palo verde, mesquite, and other desert species.
Attempting to cultivate this plant would be like trying to grow a fish out of water. It simply can’t be done through traditional gardening methods. The mistletoe spreads naturally when birds eat its small white berries and deposit the seeds on suitable host trees through their droppings.
Growing Conditions and Hardiness
If Colorado Desert mistletoe could be grown (which it can’t), it would thrive in USDA hardiness zones 9-11, specifically in desert environments. It requires:
- Host trees native to desert regions
- Hot, arid climate conditions
- Minimal water (obtained entirely from host tree)
- Full sun exposure typical of desert environments
Ecological Role and Wildlife Benefits
While you can’t invite this plant into your garden, it plays a crucial role in desert ecosystems. The inconspicuous flowers provide nectar for small insects, and the berries are an important food source for desert birds. These same birds help spread the mistletoe to new host trees, continuing the cycle of life in harsh desert environments.
Interestingly, the dense clumps of mistletoe also provide nesting sites for various desert birds, creating valuable habitat in environments where shelter can be scarce.
What This Means for Your Garden
If you’re gardening in the Southwest and notice Colorado Desert mistletoe on trees in your area, consider yourself lucky to witness this fascinating example of desert adaptation. However, don’t expect to propagate or cultivate it.
Instead, if you want to support the ecosystem that sustains plants like Colorado Desert mistletoe, consider planting native host trees such as:
- Blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida)
- Desert ironwood (Olneya tesota)
- Velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina)
These native trees not only provide habitat for mistletoe but also offer shade, wildlife habitat, and beautiful seasonal displays for your landscape.
The Bottom Line
Colorado Desert mistletoe is a remarkable native plant that showcases the incredible adaptations possible in desert environments. While it’s not destined for your garden beds or containers, it’s worth appreciating for its unique ecological niche and the role it plays in supporting desert wildlife.
Sometimes the most interesting plants are the ones we can admire but can’t possess—and Colorado Desert mistletoe is definitely one of those fascinating characters that makes the natural world endlessly intriguing.
