Mistletoe (phoradendron)

[JoshR]

I admit that this isn't the most well thought out idea but, Just for the heck of it here it goes. I just cut out a bunch of mistletoe from some water oak trees. To try to prevent it from shooting back out, could I wrap some of that black weed blocking material around the limb and over the growth area to cut out sunlight? I know that its a parasite and that it takes water and nutrients from the phloem and xylem but I'm curious to know if blocking the sunlight could prevent it from sprouting back out. I just don't have any idea how it might affect the branch that it would be wrapped around. I suspect that I couldn't leave it up permanently but maybe for a time...

 

[guymayor]

This has been done, in research and in practice. Ugly at best, and attaching it is problematic.

Black pruning paint blocks sunlight, with a lot less headache.