Thief of the Tree

A class of shrubs which depends upon trees for their food has been given the scientific name—Phoradendron. How applicable this appellation is, for it liter­ally means “thief of trees”. These shrubs average from two to six feet in diameter and are generally quite dense producing a willow broom-like effect. They are particularly common on the continents of Australia, Europe, and North America. In all there are some 600 different species of this parasitic shrub. The most com­mon hosts are the...