Eastern Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) in the City of Berea, Kentucky: a High Incidence of Infestation and Eight New Host Species for Kentucky

A survey of eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum, Viscaceae) occurrence in infested trees and shrubs within the city limits of Berea, Kentucky, was conducted from February to April 2007. Phoradendron leucarpum was found in 2320 host plants among 21 trees species (two introduced exotics, one hybrid, 18 native) and one naturalized shrub. The predominate host tree observed in Berea was Prunus serotina with 920 trees followed by Juglans nigra with 534 trees, Acer saccharinum with 257 trees, and Ulmus americana with 187 trees. Eight new eastern mistletoe-infested hosts documented for Kentucky were Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, Pyrus calleryana, Quercus imbricaria, Q. palustris, and Ulmus pumila. Five of these host plants, Betula populifolia, Crataegus × lavallei, Lonicera maackii, Prunus munsoniana, and Pyrus calleryana, were new host records within the continental United States. Berea had the highest incidence of eastern mistletoe and the greatest number of host species for any city of its size in Kentucky.