Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Santalaceae

Genus:

Arceuthobium

Species:

Arceuthobium pini

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Parasite

Height:

10 cm

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

yellow, orange

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Notes:

As an obligate parasite on fire-adapted pines, it persists where host trees survive fire but is eliminated where host mortality is high.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require contact with host pine bark tissue for germination and establishment. Explosive seed dispersal mechanism propels sticky seeds to nearby host branches.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI