Grafting Mistletoe branch onto Old Apple Tree

I have never had any joy in trying to get Mistletoe Viscum album to grow from seed. I have tried rubbing seeds into the bark, and also inserting seeds under the bark (cambium layer). Nothing works for me.

Now I have been offered from a customer the chance of cuttings from an apple tree with Mistletoe growing on/in it. However most of the branches were over 5cm diameter, but I managed to get 3 of about 2cm diameter. These can be easily grafted or top worked onto an existing tree.

The below is the only photo that is any good at the moment (see below).

My tree is an old Spartan variety apple tree, with the donor Mistletoe tree being an unknown eating apple.

3 weeks after grafting, the little apple buds are just showing on the cutting. But the Mistletoe leaves all fell off, however the stalk is still quite bright and green.

The following is from www.woodlandtrust.org.uk – Mistletoe is an evergreen plant with distinctive forked branches and pairs of symmetrical evergreen leaves. In winter it produces clusters of pearlescent white berries which are favourites with hungry birds such as thrushes.

The plant is ‘hemiparasitic’, which means it takes some of its food from another plant. It grows on the branches of trees, pulling water and nutrients from its host, while its green leaves also photosynthesise.

An excellent website for further information is http://mistletoe.org.uk/homewp/index.php/grow-your-own/

From there website I gleaned the following, that I did not know. And remember mistletoe is ‘diocieous’ – so each plant will be either male or female. This means you’ll need at least two plants, and maybe several, for berries to form