Hands in the Dirt: Mistletoe

Photo and article by Donna Iverson 

Recently, the Old Farmer's Almanac ran an article on plants of the winter solstice. They include Yew, Oak, Pine, Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe. These trees and plants were used in ceremonies at the winter solstice by the ancient Greeks, Druids, Celts and Norse. 

Ceremonies included burning a Yule log, retelling tales of the Holly King and his reindeer, and making kissing balls of holly and mistletoe.  The kissing balls were hung and couples were required to kiss when passing under one.

Today, mistletoe can still be found during the holiday season adorning entrance ways. Symbolizing life, it is an evergreen that retains its green color all year.

In the wild, it provides food and shelter for birds and animals, such as house wrens, chickadees, and mourning doves. Squirrels also nest in its foliage.  It also provides food for pollinators like butterflies and bees. Its berries are mostly white but can be red or pink depending on the species.

Mistletoe is native to North America and Canada. A parasite, it attaches itself high in the branches of trees and bushes, especially the Oak tree. Mistletoe foliage can grow to five feet wide and weigh 50 pounds. It does not kill its host tree but can cause damage to its branches. Mistletoe in trees look like baskets, and have been called “witches brooms” and thought to ward off evil spirits.

There are over a thousand species of Mistletoe, which belongs to the genus Phoradendron.  Its common names include the tree thief, kiss and go, and the healing plant.  While toxic if eaten, it was nevertheless used in ancient times as a tonic for menstrual cramps, spleen disorders, epilepsy, and ulcers. Today scientists are studying its properties as a possible cure for colon  cancer.

While bird droppings are the way that mistletoe is usually propagated, you can grow it yourself.  Mash the berries into the bark of a healthy tree, especially oak, and it will migrate through the tree's circulatory system and establish itself in the tree’s branches. For more details on growing your own Mistletoe, checkout:  
https://www.thespruce.com/growing-mistletoe-plants-5088986


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