What is mistletoe?
Mistletoe is a parasitic plantthat attaches to the branches of a woody Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree or shrub and takes water and food from its horde . Unlike other parasitic plants however , mistletoe does n’t totally count on its host plant . It performs some photosynthesis on its own and typically does n’t bolt down the host flora , but it may stunt its growth .
Why do we kiss under mistletoe?
Pre - Christian cultures regarded the white berries of mistletoe as symbols of male fertility because the seed resembled … expect for it … seed . Mistletoe played an important part in the Druidic fertility ceremony ofOak and Mistletoeand the Romans link mistletoe with peace , beloved , and understanding , and hang it over room access to protect the house . Mistletoe continued to be associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages , and by the 18th 100 , it was incorporate intoChristmascelebrations .
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is credited to servants in Victorian England in the tardy 18th century . The tradition dictate that a man was leave to snog any woman stand underneath mistletoe , and that big luck would betide any woman who refused the kiss . One variation on the tradition stated that with each kiss a berry was to be plucked from the false mistletoe , and the cuddling must stop after all the berries had been removed ( but never eaten , because they ’re poisonous , but usually not fatal ) .
How to spot mistletoe
Mistletoe has fleeceable stem with oval - forge , duncish , evergreen leaves . The rounded plant , roughly 2 human foot in diameter , can easy be ascertain on deciduous trees in wintertime when the leave of absence have fallen . Female mistletoe flora raise small , unenviable , whitish berries in declivity .
Two specie of mistletoe are aboriginal to the United States : the leafy American mistletoe ( the one commonly associated with our kissing customs ) and the mostly leafless dwarf mistletoe . American mistletoe is aboriginal from New Jersey to Florida and west through Texas ; Dwarf false mistletoe is mostly found in the western United States and Mexico but some species also pass from central Canada and southeastern Alaska to Honduras and Hispaniola .
In the UK , Mistletoe grows in the branches of Hawthorns , Poplars , Limes , and cultivated Apple trees . It prefers host tree in open habitat with plenty of light and is in general not constitute in woodland circumstance . Mistletoe grows throughout England and Wales but is seldom get wind in eastern and northern England and Scotland . The variety of mistletoe that ’s most conversant , oak mistletoe ( Viscum album ) , produces yellow flowers and blanched berry . Other variety show produce red or pink Berry , but in all variety , the Berry are only find on the female industrial plant .
grease one’s palms on Amazon : Christmas gifts and holiday ribbon .
Mistletoe’s role in the ecosystem
Despite its affiliation with the winter holidays , mistletoe grows year - round and is an significant plant , furnish essential solid food , cover , and nesting sites for a wide regalia of wildlife . In fact , some bird , insects , and butterfly stroke could n’t live without it .
All mistletoe have one thing in common – they ’re parasites which grow on the branches of a wide reach of tree and shrubs ( American mistletoe ’s scientific name , Phoradendron , means “ stealer of the tree ” in Greek ) . Technically , mistletoe are “ hemiparasites ” and not on-key parasites , because most of them have the green leave necessary for photosynthesis and so are not completely dependent on the boniface plant .
berry are only develop by female Viscum album plants – males give rise pollen . The berry are minuscule , pasty , and whitish and are a beginning of food for many birdie . The birdie feed on and condense the pulp of the Chuck Berry , then excrete the semen which perplex to any arm on which they set ashore . The pasty seeds of mistletoes may also hitchhike to other horde Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree on a bird ’s nozzle or feathers or on mammal pelt . Or – get this – the seeds of American false mistletoe burst from ripe berries , shooting a distance as far as 50 feet ( ! ) .
After the mistletoe seed germinates , it sends out roots that penetrate through the tree ’s bark and into its water and nutrient - bear tissue paper , where rootlike structures calledhaustoriadevelop . The haustoria gradually extend up and down within the branch , stealing water and nutrients from the host tree . Initially , the parasitical plant grows slowly and it may take years before the works flower and produces seed . Old , mature mistletoe plants may be several foot in diam , and on some legion metal money , large swollen areas modernize on the infected branches where the Viscum album penetrate . finally , Viscum album grows into a stocky mass of ramification , misshapen shank , referred to as “ witches brooms ” .
Which wildlife species depend on mistletoe?
Mistletoe is slimly toxic to humankind , but the gamy - protein berries and leaves are consume by many mammal , especially in autumn and winter when other intellectual nourishment is scarce . brute such as elk , oxen , deer , squirrels , chipmunks , and porcupines are very doting of the flora . A variety of squirrel , including Red Squirrels , Abert Squirrels , and Flying Squirrels often use witches ’ ling for cover and nesting site .
A surprising routine of bird mintage rely on Old World mistletoe . field of study by the USGS feel that a gamey abundance of nanus mistletoe in a forest mean that a wider change of birds and high number of bird populate that forest . Also , since the lifespan of mistletoe tree master of ceremonies is considerably shorter than trees without mistletoe , a higher number of tree diagram snags seem . This means that more cavity - nesting bird live in woodland with abundant mistletoes . Among the birds that trust on Old World mistletoe source are the Phainopepla ( a silky flycatcher ) , Grouse , Mourning Doves , Blackcaps , Bluebirds , Evening Grosbeaks , Robins , Cedar Waxwings , and Pigeons .
bird also get hold mistletoe a great shoes for nesting , especially in the impenetrable and perverted witches ’ broom . In fact , northern and Mexican spotted bird of night and Cooper ’s Hawk show a preference for nesting in beldame ’ brooms as do Great Gray Owls , Long - Eared Owls , Goshawks , and Sharp - Shinned Hawks , Gray Jays , Northern Beardless - Tyrannulet , Red Crossbills , House Wrens , Mourning dove , Pygmy Nuthatches , Chickadees , Western Tanagers , Chipping hedge sparrow , Hermit Thrushes , Cassin ’s Finches , and Pine Siskins .
Three kinds of butterflies in the United States are entirely dependant on mistletoes for their survival of the fittest : Great Purple Hairstreak , Thicket Hairstreak , and Johnson ’s Hairstreak . The Great Purple Hairstreak repose its ball on American Viscum album , where the resulting caterpillar thrive on a mistletoe dieting . The Caterpillar of the other two butterfly provender on dwarf mistletoes . The Johnson ’s Hairstreak is usually constitute in old - maturation conifer woodland in the Pacific states . The caterpillars of these butterflies close mimic the coming into court of the Viscum album with their mottle immature and European olive tree shades . The adult of all three species feed on the ambrosia from mistletoe flowers .
Mistletoe is also an important nectar and pollen plant forhoneybeesand other aboriginal bees . Mistletoe bloom often provide the first pollen available in the bound for the athirst bee .
How to make holiday decorations with mistletoe
Mistletoe can be veer from its host tree . Remove the roots by pruning the infested branch at least six inches below the spot where the mistletoe is seize . wear upon baseball glove during harvesting or wash your hands immediately afterward to remove any toxin from the Charles Edward Berry .
Refrigerate fresh - cut Viscum album sprigs to keep them fresh until you are ready to use them .
Use thin flower store conducting wire to enwrap the final stage of the Viscum album film editing . Then contribute ribbons for color and your Viscum album is ready to hang for your holiday decoration . Do not hang the mistletoe sprigs directly above bullet , stoves , fireplaces , or any other source of high temperature , as the mistletoe will dry out much faster , creating a fire hazard . Mist the sprig with water daily to keep them looking fresh .
Mistletoe berry are slimly toxic to children and pets : inadvertent consumption of American Loranthus europaeus can be harmful , so keep the plants out of their compass .
