Date:  18 December 2025

This summer, intrepid visitors naturing in the remote Hope River valley can see scarlet, red and yellow mistletoe.

As well as being “Christmassy”, New Zealand’s mistletoes provide nectar for forest birds and geckos. They are semi-parasitic plants, living on host trees which provide them with nutrients, that also photosynthesise some of their own food.

Wayne Costello, DOC South Westland Operations Manager says, New Zealand mistletoes flower between December and January but are under threat from possums.

“Mistletoe is a highly preferred food for possums – often considered the “ice cream” plant for this introduced species.

“In the Hope valley, mistletoe has been monitored since 2006. The results show that since this time, the population has increased by 2.34 per cent per year – an overall 57 per cent increase over the 19 years monitoring has been underway.

“The results of monitoring suggest that management of possums in the valley with aerial 1080 has been successful in maintaining healthy populations of possum-sensitive tree species. Mistletoe is an indicator species, which means that if it’s doing well, other species in the forest are also likely in good health.

“It’s awesome to see predator control is paying off in the long term – the results give us confidence we are making a difference. It’s also heartwarming to know that this plant, which plays an important role in a healthy ecosystem, is on the rise in this valley and people who go there can enjoy its beauty in the forest.”

Mistletoes were once widespread in New Zealand beech forests. However, due to possum browse, they are now absent from many forests.

Possums arrived late in South Westland compared to the rest of New Zealand, which is why in the 1990’s, when pest control using 1080 began, there was still a population of mistletoe to build on.

Background information

Monitoring of mistletoe is undertaken across 44 20 x 20 m plots in the Hope valley. In 2006, there were 58 plants recorded, while in 2025, 91 plants were recorded in these plots.

For more information about mistletoe see: Mistletoe: Native plants

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