Incense-cedar mistletoe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Incense-cedar mistletoe |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phoradendron
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| Species: |
libocedri
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Phoradendron libocedri is a special kind of flowering plant. It is often called the incense-cedar mistletoe. This plant belongs to the sandalwood family.
It grows in western North America. You can find it from Oregon all the way down to Baja California. This mistletoe lives in forests. It grows on a specific tree called the California incense-cedar.
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Incense-Cedar Mistletoe: A Unique Plant
This mistletoe is a type of shrub. It grows by attaching itself to a host tree. The plant gets water and nutrients from the tree. This makes it a parasite.
What is Mistletoe?
Mistletoe is a plant that lives on other plants. It takes some of its food from its host. But the incense-cedar mistletoe is a "hemiparasite." This means it can also make some of its own food.
It has chlorophyll, which is the green stuff in plants. Chlorophyll helps the plant use sunlight to make energy. This process is called photosynthesis. So, it's not fully dependent on its host tree.
Where Does It Grow?
The incense-cedar mistletoe is native to North America. It thrives in the western parts. Its natural home stretches from the state of Oregon in the north. It goes south through California and into Baja California.
You will usually spot it in forests. It always grows on its favorite tree. That tree is the California incense-cedar.
How Does It Look?
This mistletoe grows branches that can be green. They might stand up straight, hang down, or droop. These branches grow from a strong, woody base. This base is where the mistletoe attaches to the tree.
The branches are smooth. They have small bumps called nodes. The leaves on this plant are flat and look like scales.
How Does It Reproduce?
The incense-cedar mistletoe is a dioecious plant. This means it has separate male and female plants. Male plants produce male flowers. Female plants produce female flowers.
These flowers grow in knobby clusters. After the female flowers are pollinated, they produce berries. These berries are light pink or yellowish. They are round and small, about 3 or 4 millimeters wide.
