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.
