As the leaves come down across Franklin, a lot of homeowners are noticing round green clumps sitting high in otherwise bare trees. That's American mistletoe, and it is especially common in hackberries, elms, and some oaks around Williamson County. It stays green all winter, so late fall is when it finally shows itself.
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant. It sends roots into the branch and pulls water and nutrients from the host tree. A clump or two rarely causes serious harm, but heavy infestations can weaken limbs, cause dieback beyond the point of attachment, and add stress to trees already dealing with drought or age.
Pulling clumps off only removes the visible part, and it usually grows back from the roots left in the branch. The lasting fix is pruning out infected limbs where it makes sense structurally, which depends on how many branches are affected and where. Our ISA Certified Arborist can look at the pattern and recommend whether to prune, monitor, or leave it be.
How many mistletoe clumps can you count from your back porch now that the leaves are falling? #FranklinTN #TreeCare
A real photo of mistletoe clumps visible in a bare or thinning hackberry, elm, or oak canopy in a Franklin-area yard, or a Franklin Tree Service climber pruning an infected limb. Authentic job photos strongly outperform stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Those Green Clumps? That's Mistletoe" or "Leaves Drop, Mistletoe Shows Up"