Mistletoe’s stronghold is central and southern England, but it is scattered locally elsewhere in the south and southwest. Its balls of evergreen leaves and stems are easiest to spot in winter, hanging from the bare branches of the trees on which it is partly parasitic.
Photo: Amanda Scott
Scientific name: Viscum album
Other local names: Churchman’s Greeting, Kiss-and-go, Mislin-bush
What to look for:
- Family: Viscaceae
- Flowers: Tiny clusters, each flower with four petals
- Leaves and stem: Woody stem, branching; evergreen leaves, elliptical, and widest at tip
- Fruit: Small, sticky white berries
- Where: England, but rare north of Yorkshire; eastern Wales; rare in Northern Ireland and very rare in Scotland
- When: Flowers in early spring, fruit in mid-winter
- Habit: Partly parasitic, especially on apple and lime
Mistletoe is an evergreen, bushy plant that is partly (hemi-) parasitic. It hangs in large balls of stems and leaves from trees, high in the upper branches. Sometimes, you may see a single Mistletoe ball in a tree; sometimes there will be so many that at first glance you think the tree itself is in leaf. The roots of Mistletoe penetrate the bark of its host in order to extract water and nutrients; it does also photosynthesise. Despite its reliance on trees as hosts, Mistletoe is seldom found in dense woodland, as it prefers light and space.
The white berries, which are poisonous to humans, appear in November to December; they are sticky, and this means that when birds feast on the fruit, there is a good chance a few seeds will stick on them and then be deposited into the bark of another tree, and a new Mistletoe bush will grow.
Mistletoe is steeped in folklore and myth. It is particularly associated with the Druids, but also appears in Norse and other European, including ancient Greek, traditions.
Did you know…?
…Mistletoe symbolises fertility and love; the Christmas tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe dates to before Christianity came to Britain.
…Baldr, reputedly the most beautiful and good of the Norse gods, could only be killed by Mistletoe. The trickster god Loki made sure that happened. It was prophesied that Baldr would die, so his loving mother, Frigg, made all the plants and animals promise not to kill him. However, she overlooked Mistletoe, and so Loki arranged for an arrow made from the plant to be used to kill Baldr.
More information and references:
Rose, F. and O’Reilly, C., 2006. The Wild Flower Key, 2nd edition. Frederick Warne, London.
Mabey, R., 1997. Flora Britannica. Chatto & Windus, London.
Published: December 2024
Author: Amanda Scott
Photos: Amanda Scott