As we rapidly approach the Christmas season, I feel an in-depth look at one of our staple decorations is in order, namely mistletoe.
This hemi-parasitic, wild tangle of greenery growing on branches and twigs of oaks and apples (preferably) is a small, viny shrub providing some of its own nutrition via photosynthesis in its evergreen leaves, but snitching water and minerals with its root-system implanted in the host tree. This explains its hemi-parasitic designation. The name ‘mistletoe’ is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘mistel’ meaning ‘dung’, and ‘tan’ meaning ‘twig’, and this explains its propagation method: birds eat the berries, birds sit on twigs, birds leave a deposit and as the seeds are sticky they do not fall upon the ground but germinate on the twig – ingenious eh?
Mistletoe used to be regarded as a pest and indeed, a heavy infestation can kill a host tree, but this rarely happens. Now mistletoe is recognized as an important food supply for many birds and animals, with the dense growth providing shelter and roosting/nesting places for many species including the Northern Spotted owl.
There are many different species of mistletoe, and from research I have found varying opinions concerning the toxicity of the plant, but I also found that American Indians used a tea for epilepsy, headaches, hypertension, and many other complaints. It seems that eating the white, waxy berries may pose the greatest hazard so keep it well out of the reach of pets and children and, no, the poinsettia is not poisonous!
On the historical side of this issue, the Druids regarded mistletoe as a sacred plant, endowing it with the power to heal diseases, protection from witchcraft, and a potent aid in human fertility; harvesting mistletoe was done with a golden sickle, dropping it into a white sheet (it must never touch the ground) and hanging in the home until the next yearly harvest to protect the house from lightning. Handy stuff – mistletoe! Somewhere in this harvesting ritual a couple of white bulls were sacrificed, but where they got two white bulls from on a yearly basis I have no idea…Let’s hope the steaks didn’t go to waste!
The Vikings believed that mistletoe had the power to raise the dead – makes me wonder when they realized it wasn’t working, but it was another Norse legend that originated our custom of kissing under the mistletoe. In a very confusing tale with lots of unfamiliar names, I gather a Norse goddess had a problem with a son, mistletoe helped solve the problem and she kissed everyone in sight in gratitude. Now – proper etiquette for using the mistletoe requires that the gentleman remove a berry for each smooch, and the smooching will cease when the last berry is plucked! I’m not certain how to regulate the use of plastic mistletoe…
In closing I want to note that mistletoe is the Oklahoma State Floral Emblem (not the State Flower) and that a young man by the name of Justin Beiber has a current song on the market about mistletoe, but I bet it will never be as popular as Jingle Bells!
Please note that I do not wish to be kissed under any more mistletoe as fertility is not in my future! Merry Christmas!!
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