Mistletoe

Kissing under the mistletoe

As Christmas approaches many homes have mistletoe as a festive decoration, and most people know about the tradition of kissing under it, but not many people know where this idea came from.

There are various ancient stories about mistletoe being a magical cure for all sorts of ailments. During roman times, (around 2000 years ago) people thought it was an antidote for poisons and could promote fertility in females; this was never proven. The fertility rite could be a source of the 'kissing under the mistletoe' tradition, which originated in Britain and has spread throughout the English speaking world, but is largely unknown to the rest of Europe.

These days, herbalists use leaves and young twigs, and it is popular in Europe, especially in Germany, for treating circulatory and respiratory system problems, and even cancer.

Viscum album - the Latin name

Mistletoe has the Latin name Viscum album referring to the sticky (viscous) character of the berry, and album referring to the white waxy berries, growing in dense clusters of 2-6. We use Latin names, as a universal language for plant and animal names so they are understood all over the world regardless of what language you speak.

Semi-parasite

Mistletoe is known as a semi-parasite. (Glossary) Because the plant is green it is able to photosynthesise, which means it is able to make some of its own food from sunlight. However to supplement its full need of food, it sucks out food and water from a host (Glossary) tree, by burrowing into a tree's bark.

The seeds of mistletoe ripen in late February, and birds do not usually feed on them if there are other berries available, like hawthorn, holly and ivy berries. Once the first winter frosts set in and the ground becomes cold and hard or even covered with snow, then the birds will eat the white berries.

Birds such as mistletoe thrush will eat the whole mistletoe berry, and they spread the seed from tree to tree as the seeds passing through their digestive system and are then left in bark of trees with their droppings. Birds will hold the fruit in their bills, before eating, crushing the waxy coated fruit to prise the seed out, then wipe their bills clean on a suitable branch, leaving the seed on the tree to germinate.

Look out for bunches of mistletoe, which are dark matt green, which can be found in many Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace tall trees, which are limes. They can only be seen when the trees shed their leaves for winter. You will have to look up in the canopy of lime trees to see them, and lower down on smaller hawthorn and crab apple tree canopies.

Is it good or is it bad?

In the past apple growers considered mistletoe as a pest that kills trees, which is rare since if a branch dies due to mistletoe taking up too much nutrient from the trees, then immediately the mistletoe will die also, so they both lose out.

These days the presence of mistletoe is seen as a positive environmental indicator; it proves how fresh the air is where it is found. Because it is abundant in Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace's Home Park, you know that the air is clean and unpolluted. In the early 1700s mistletoe was abundant in central London, however after the Industrial Revolution, smog polluted the atmosphere and now it only grows naturally outside of central London. The good news is that since the Clean Aair Act of Parliament was introduced in the 1960's the air quality has improved and conservationists are attempting to reintroduce it to inner London areas through the London Biodiversity Partnership scheme. http://www.lbp.org.uk look into their "Species Action Plans", to find out what Londoners are doing for mistletoe.

Mistletoe festival

There is an annual mistletoe festival, known as the Tenbury's Mistletoe Festival, which started in 2004, held in the old Cattle Market site in Teme Street, of the town of Tenbury. The festival is part of the National Mistletoe Day, and now takes place on 1st December each year. Why not look at their web site. http://www.tenbury-mistletoe-festival.co.uk