I am interested in finding mistletoe for the purple hairstreak butterflies. Anyone know of any sources?

In a quick search, I found a lot of places to buy it, but it seems like a seasonal thing. Just go to any search engine and type in the following:

buy mistletoe plants.

Don't be confused by the Mistletoe Fig which is in the ficus family..true mistletoe is a parasite..didn't think they sold it..it grows wild here in California and is usually found in the native oaks out here.

memays,
You didn't mention what part of the country you call home. We need more information as to exactly which 'mistletoe' you are referring and to which butterfly.
@mellielong, can you help with this? ATP member mellielong volunteers at the Museum of Science and Industry's BioWorks Butterfly Garden exhibit and knows a heck of a lot more than I do.

Are your referring to the Mitoura johnsoni butterfly, also called Johnston’s Hairstreak (Callophrys johnsoni), Mitoura johnsoni, Loranthomitoura johnsoni, Mistletoe Hairstreak, or Brown Mistletoe Hairstreak? Whew, butterflies have more names than plants. I think that one is in the western part of the country.

If the butterfly is Atlides halesus/Great Purple Hairstreak that would be a more eastern type and would need the Mistletoe plant normally used at Christmas time; is found in roughly half of the eastern/southeastern part US on hardwood trees. There is a nature center not far from my home that published informative news letters. It will take several years from seed until you see the results of your efforts. Here is the one about the (common name) American Mistletoe.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/this...

There is another type of plant called Mistletoe/dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium) which lives in conifers in the western part of the US.

Greene, the Great Purple Hairstreak does indeed use mistletoe and rarely strays from the plants. I have only seen the butterfly once in eight years of doing this and that was at a plant nursery that backs up to some woods. BAMONA has a good fact sheet on the Great Purple Hairstreak and indicates that it uses Phoradendron species of Mistletoe: http://www.butterfliesandmoths... It's also a more widespread butterfly than I originally thought; check the sightings map on the BAMONA page.

If you want mistletoe, I'd say the easiest thing to do would be to find some growing (usually in oak trees around these parts) and ask the landowner if you can have some. Although, I don't know if they can be grown from cuttings or not. Unfortunately, they're kind of hard to spot right now. When the trees lost their leaves a few months ago I saw some clumps of mistletoe, but they're much harder to find when the tree has leafed out. Greene, the link you posted mentions that fact. Also, Mistletoe is considered a parasite although I don't think it ever gets aggressive enough to kill trees. I've never heard of that happening, anyway. And if you have pets or children, be aware it is toxic, as are many host plants for butterflies.

mellielong; we are still waiting to find out where the original poster memays lives; that should narrow the search.

I think we may have overwhelmed them.

Hi guys sorry to not respond earlier. Virtual greetings all I live in Atlanta, GA and I should have been more precise. Was looking for the Phoradendron type and believe I have found a source so we shall see how this experiment goes.

Don't be a stranger. Hope your experiment is a success. And remember, we like to see lots of photos.

Yes, post those Great Purple Hairstreaks over in the butterfly thread! I've only ever seen the one, and while I'm glad I at least saw it once, I want to see more!

Thanks Greene and Mellie - will do - if you are butterfly fans check out our georgia butterfly chapter website nabageorgia.weebly.com - I'm Meredith

Hey memays, thanks for the link; you might want to add that link so it shows up at the bottom of your posts so more folks can find it.