Dwarf Mistletoe on Juniper

Dwarf Mistletoe is a parasite that taps into its hosts xylem (the vascular tissue that transports water to the leaves). You can tell that it makes it's own sugar via photosynthesis by the color of its leaves (green). In contrast, parasitic plants that tap into the phloem (the vascular tissue that transports sugar around the plant, where ever it is needed) are pale white because they do not need to create their own sugar, they steal it!!