In fact, these displays are from the mistletoe, a potentially harmful parasitic plant.

A number of trees in High Street, East Maitland have large areas of mistletoe.

Mistletoe is one of the more mysterious plants that occur in the bush as well as the home garden.

Many people would know the clumps of foliage caused by mistletoe on gum trees, although some may not recognise the flowers that the mistletoe plants produce. 

There are about 90 species of mistletoe that are endemic to Australia and many of them play an important role in the food chain of native animals and birds.

Possums, gliders and birds all rely on the mistletoe as a food source at different times.

In areas where bush has been damaged through fire and the numbers of native animals have been reduced dramatically, mistletoe can become quite extensive.

However, where there are good numbers of native animals, a beneficial balance of mistletoe and animals often results.

Some mistletoes are very host specific, mimicking the growth of their host plant, producing foliage that is very similar.

The sheoak mistletoe, growing on native casuarinas, produces long pendulous growth with spiny leaves.

The drooping mistletoe, which attaches itself to eucalypts, is much easier to recognise, producing growth that is denser in nature and often more yellow/green in colour. 

The Australian mistletoe bird (about the size of a robin, with bright red chest feathers) is responsible for spreading many of the plants through the bush, as well as local gardens. 

Like many fruit-eating birds, these species have a relatively simple digestive tract, so that the seed passes through the bird rather quickly, leaving the seed with a coating of glucose. 

The single seeds are contained in a small, sweet, sticky fruit.

The sticky layer dries and causes the seed to become attached to the branch.

This leads to rapid germination. 

When the seeds germinate, a modified root penetrates the bark of the host’s stem and forms a connection through which water and nutrients pass from the host to the mistletoe.

They do this by melding their root structure into the woody structure of the host’s stem, and thereafter it becomes a living part of the stem receiving all the nutrients that the foliage of the host plant receives. 

The growth of the mistletoe often restricts nutrient flow further along the host branch, and the end part may die, leaving the mistletoe in a terminal position on the branch.

Many birds prefer to nest in mistletoe because it provides shade and cover. Mistletoe nesters include the grey gosshawk, several species of pigeons and doves, honeyeaters, wattlebirds, friarbirds and many others.

Quite a number of butterfly larvae also feed on mistletoe, and some caterpillars can completely strip mistletoe of its leaves in a matter of months, providing another natural check on mistletoe.

Mistletoe flowers are usually quite attractive and feature thin “petals” in colours of red, orange or yellow.

They also are often pendulous, some hanging to quite some distance from the host plant, while others have a more upright growth. 

Apart from appearing on native plants, mistletoe can also occasionally be found on exotic species, tending to prefer plants with more woody stems and trunks, such as roses.

In these instances they will be more easily recognised as their foliage will be quite dissimilar to the host plant. 

The mistletoe should be cut from the stem as its growth will detract from the plant as it absorbs nutrients.

The monthly meeting of Maitland and District Garden Club will be held on Friday, 31 October at 7.30pm.

Meetings are held in the Masonic Hall, next to Maitland Town Hall.

The guest speaker will speak about garden design. Visitors welcome.