TRC trial to control mistletoe in Toowoomba CBD street trees

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is starting a trial to control the spread of mistletoe in sections of street trees in Toowoomba’s CBD.

TRC Parks and Recreation Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Tim McMahon said Council had been monitoring the extent and development of mistletoe in the city’s CBD street trees.

“The extent of the mistletoe infection, particularly in London Plane trees, is reaching a level where tree health could be adversely affected,” Cr McMahon said.

“Council is undertaking a trial involving pollarding selected trees, which involves removing most of the tree’s canopy, as part of a longer-term management strategy.

“This process will reduce the extent of mistletoe infection in the street trees, seek to improve tree health and avoid potential safety issues.

“The trial pollarding will be conducted on five London Plane trees in Hume Street, Toowoomba, between Herries Street and James Street.

“The trial will provide data on the benefits of pollarding on tree health, (for selected species), and its potential use in wider mistletoe management.

“Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that draws water and nutrients from the host, but synthesises its own sugars, starches and hormones. They are also known to provide numerous ecological benefits to the environment. For this reason, the presence of some mistletoe in trees is acceptable.

“However, Council must assess the mistletoe-host relationship and the additional stress high levels of mistletoe infection can place on ageing trees, particularly from increasing water demand in trees with limited soil water availability due to their confined surrounds.

“The next few weeks present the most favourable time in the trees’ growth cycle for carrying out the trial.”

(The pollarding trial is timed to start before sap rise in the trees, to allow the optimum development of new shoots.)