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Article: Kissing cousin: See that scaly parasite on our pines? Yep, it's mistletoe.
- Article from:
- The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
- Article date:
- December 24, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Spokesman-Review. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Jim Kershner
Dec. 24--Stroll with your sweetie into almost any stand of ponderosa pines in the Inland Northwest and -- who knows? -- maybe you'll get lucky. You may be standing beneath a sprig of local, native mistletoe.
That's right, a regional variety of mistletoe, Western dwarf mistletoe, is rampant in our region's ponderosa pine forests.
"It's hard to say, but I'd guess it's on about 30 percent of our pines," said Jeff Perry, Spokane city arborist.
So, feel free to plant a holiday smooch on your sweetie.
Our native variety is indisputably mistletoe, yet it is hardly the aesthetic equal of the mistletoe we hang over ...