What type of damage do mistletoes cause to their host?

Mistletoes are parasitic plants that attach themselves to the branches or trunks of their host trees and shrubs. By tapping into the host’s vascular system, mistletoes extract water and nutrients necessary for their own growth. This parasitic behavior can lead to distorted growth as the host tree may begin to deform and twist around the area where the mistletoe is attached. Furthermore, prolonged infestations of mistletoe can weaken the host plant, leading to dieback, where branches or stems of the host may die off due to the stress imposed by the parasite. This can severely compromise the health and structural integrity of the host tree.

The other options describe different types of plant ailments that do not accurately capture the specific effects mistletoes have on their hosts. For instance, while water depletion and nutrient loss is somewhat related to the parasitic nature of mistletoe, the more pronounced effects are clearly seen in growth distortions and dieback. Leaf scorch and wilting typically result from environmental stressors rather than direct parasitism, and root rot and decay are often associated with pathogens and fungi that attack the roots rather than a parasitic plant like mistletoe. Thus, the impact of mistletoes is best characterized by