Home > Projects >

How to Propagate Mistletoe

You will need: Knife, Mistletoe Berries, Suitable Tree

If you have not thrown your mistletoe away, try growing your own! This partial parasite grows on plants like apple, hawthorn and poplar. Use fresh, plump berries in March.

Best time to do it:

Step 1

Start by cutting a flap in the bark under a branch lifting it up.

Step 2

Insert (squish) the mistletoe berries into the wound.

Step 3

Be gentle and make sure not to break off the flap.

Step 4

Germinating seeds cause a swelling around the wound and small leaves will appear by the autumn. The success rate is variable, so use 4-5 seeds to improve the odds. It takes around 5 years for the female mistletoe to grow large enough to flower and produce berries.

Related FAQs

Ask a gardening question:

Latest Gardening News

Let's talk about mental health this Monday, says Plants and Minds

Gardening and Flower Shows 2026

How to Make a Christmas Wreath: A Step by Step Guide

Why Poinsettias Mean Christmas: The Festive Flower's Surprising History and Symbolism

Gardening Projects for January

---

How to Propagate Mistletoe

How to pH Test Soil

How to take Hardwood Cuttings

How to Protect Containers

Latest Gardening Videos

---

Five Essential Tips for Growing Lemons

How do I insulate my greenhouse?

How should I overwinter a potted Canna lily?

How do I treat liverwort?

Moving House and Taking the Garden with You | Garden Ideas | Val Bradley

When and how should I prune a jostaberry?

All Videos

Explore Gardens from Around the World

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Richmond, United Kingdom

Keukenhof
Lisse, Netherlands

Monet's Garden, Giverny
Giverny, France

Villa d'Este Gardens
Tivoli, Italy

Majorelle Garden
Marrakesh, Morocco

Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore