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Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.)Reveal & M.C.Johnst.
American Mistletoe
Oak Mistletoe
Florida native
A frequent parasitic plant of various trees, usually hardwoods, throughout most of Florida. The range extends throughout the southeastern states, west into Texas, Okalahoma and Kansas, with the northern boundary approximately the Ohio River and the Mason Dixon line, plus found in much of New Jersey. Also occurs in eastern and southern Mexico.
Mistletoe has a clumping, ball-shaped growth form. Leaves are opposite,, thick, leathery and evergreen. Phoradendron leucarpum has white or yellowish-white berries.
American mistletoe is a larval host plant for Atlides halesus, the great purple hairstreak butterfly.
This is the only mistletoe species in most of Florida. Mahogany mistletoe - Phoradendron rubrum - only occurs in Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. It has berries that are lemon-yellow to orange.
For more information about mistletoe see the The Magic of Mistletoes at the Beautiful Native Plants blog.
Two other similar species are found out west. Cory's mistletoe - Phoradendron coryae - mainly occurs in Arizona, New Mexico and north-central Mexico. Oak mistletoe - Phoradendron villosum - is mostly limited to the west coast from Washington state into Baja California, and also other parts of Mexico and Texas.
Phoradendron leucarpum is a member of the Viscaceae - Christmas Mistletoe family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 13, 2025
