Witch's Broom

[Jeff]

I found this old crash site, not 20 yards off one of my trails for the first time. Dunno how I missed it before. Probably because things look way different in the U.P. woods in January without any snow.


 

[Magicman]

What is the reference to a "crash site"?

[Jeff]

Witches ride Witch's brooms, so I just figgered...

[Magicman]

Which might infer that there could be Witches' Bones scattered about??   smiley_curtain_peek

[Jeff]

You are welcome to come look.

[thecfarm]

That is hugh!!!!
I have a few on my land. I must have small witches.

[SwampDonkey]

I find them here a lot in my oldest firs. The 20"er that came down on the road by the woodlot had a sizeable one. I took one down beside that blowdown about 3 years ago. Again a big fir, and that one was every bit as big as yours. That thing was real heavy, I had to cut it up to be able to handle it. Fir is terrible heavy stuff when green compared to a green spruce top. Also I remember a big 20"er fir back from the road about 200 feet had a top blow out a year ago with one in it to. The witches broom seems quite prolific on old fir trees here. Which I don't have a lot of actually, but many have broom. Of course most are high up in the crowns, and no live limbs for a few feet up, so never see a mistletoe. The culprit making the brooms. Not much I can do about it anyway if I did. :D Oh, I even remember now, a big fir this fall I took off the bank of the road had a broom. It had about a 10 degree lean toward the road, so I got it before the wind did. No rot or ants, just kind of grew that way reaching for more light. Had a big crown, not a skinny one. I was surprised there wasn't an old injury on it from road work, such as a loader bucket rubbing up it to remove limbs. The bank of the road is about 3' high there. I know under that thing was about 1000 seedlings growing on the road shoulder. ;D

[stavebuyer]

Mistletoe is the cause? Mistletoe is very common here in hardwoods like Oak and Walnut. Can't recall ever coming across Witch's Broom. Is it only found in conifers?

[SwampDonkey]

Dwarf mistletoe to be more precise. There are several species. Softwood infections, yes.

Dwarf Mistletoe - YouTube

It also has to be said that we also have a rust disease making brooms in balsam fir. Alternate host is chickweed.

[SwampDonkey]

Mistletoe Broom in black spruce.

[SwampDonkey]

Never know where that old witch is going to show up. ;D





Found this also on an old fir. Not far from that recent blowdown on the road. I looked up into the crown and saw there were at least 6 more like it. They all seem to be out on the ends of the branches and not in next to the trunk on this tree. On the other old firs near by it was next to the trunk of the trees, those were a lot bigger and were still alive.

[maineshops]

I have dozens of these in the balsam firs. Most are round basket ball size. I'm guessing they are the same. Inersting to see that they have a name. Thanks dan