09/19/2026
Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management shared on Mother Nature's holiday prep....
Mother Nature Decorates for Halloween
Halloween is fast approaching and it seems Mother Nature is getting ready for the spooky season. A witches’ broom was spotted on a sand pine at Delaware Scrub Natural Area in Jupiter. We are not talking about the brooms used by the witches in the movies Practical Magic 1 & 2. This witches’ broom is an abnormal, dense cluster of branches, resembling a broom or a bird’s nest, on a sand pine tree.
What causes this? Trees produce hormones called auxins, which control cell growth. The hormones are concentrated in the growing tips of shoots. They maintain normal growth and keep smaller branches from overtaking the “leader”. Unusual growth occurs when the auxin levels are interfered with by an outside factor. The intense growth may be triggered in several ways, including pests, fungus, mistletoe infestation, diseases or genetic mutations.
Pines are not the only trees affected. Witches’ brooms can be found in other conifers like firs and junipers, nut species like hickory and walnut, or in ashes and elms. Do witches’ brooms pose problems for the trees? Not really. Unless vulnerable to a massive outbreak of parasitic mistletoe, trees usually continue growing around them and live normal lifespans. The dense brush benefits wildlife, becoming a ready-made nest for birds or tree-dwelling mammals.
