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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW How you can conserve water at home ... Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... How you can conserve water at home ... Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Mistletoe is probably what's up in the tree Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News What is the pale green moss-like stuff that is growing all over the deciduous trees in the region? I see great swaths of affected trees between Shady Cove and Crater Lake and recently noticed the stuff encroaching on some evergreens, as well. It can also be seen on the hills driving north on Interstate 5. Is it killing the trees or making them more susceptible to fire? If so, can it be stopped? — Betsy, Ashland   Well, Betsy we at Since You Asked Central have always taken a lichen to answering questions about moss and took your poser to Kristi Mergenthaler, a botanist with the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, and it was a bit of a stump for her. Mergenthaler couldn't think of any mosses like the one you described, Betsy, which led her to believe you are likely viewing mistletoe. Oregon mistletoe, most succinctly. It's a partial parasite — meaning it gets some nutrients from the sun and others from the host tree — that's native to the region, and it certainly grows well here on oak trees. "People look at it and say, isn't that bad?" Mergenthaler says. "But it's a natural part of our ecosystem. It's just not as beautiful as some other partial parasites like Indian paintbrush and Indian plume." Besides, Mergenthaler says, mistletoe berries are an important food source for robins and bluebirds in winter. As for mistletoe's impacts on wildfire? Mergenthaler says there's not much research on the subject, except one laboratory study showed that mistletoe didn't germinate well in smoky conditions. If it's not mistletoe that you're asking about, Betsy, and that what you describe is moss, well, "don't be worried about moss," Mergenthaler says. "They're a natural part of our ecosystem, too." Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.    MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501