Everyone’s favorite Christmas parasite

Notice the "ball-like" pockets of mistletoe at Jean Lafitte NP Coquille Trail head

As the leaves on deciduous trees (esp. oaks) begin to shed their leaves for annual dormancy, you may notice some green foliage remaining as rounded, “ball-like” pockets within the canopy. These round balls are specimens of leafy mistletoe, which is commonly known as the plant that you may find your teenage kids kissing under during the Christmas holidays. Leafy mistletoes are a group of parasitic plants that attack a wide list of hardwood trees in the genus Phoradendron. Parasite….what? Yes, this plant actually taps into vascular plants and steals water and nutrients from the xylem and phloem of its host. Leafy mistletoe is green, and it does photosynthesize, but most of its nutrition comes from its host. More often than not, mistletoes are not higher order pests, and will not kill old growth trees. Mistletoes are common in southern Louisiana and can be observed on roadside trees travelling westbound on interstate 10 between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.

Mistletoe has been associated with many traditions and rituals for thousands of years, including kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time. The earliest documentation of kissing underneath the mistletoe was in the 16^th century in England and was probably a result of a superstition that the plant aided some way with fertility and conception. This was a long time after the first report of putting mistletoe on a pedestal, however.

Thousands of years of rituals and worshiping surrounding mistletoe are known in the history of mankind, but they began with the ancient Celts, who believed mistletoe had mystical properties. This was due to the fact that trees, that have dropped their leaves for winter, were left with a plant that could survive anything. Druids, priests of the Celtic order, also noted the medicinal properties of mistletoe and in the ancient Druid language mistletoe actually meant “all healing”. The Greeks also noted mistletoe as a noteworthy organism, and believed it as a symbol of deterring damage or harm. Greeks would cut a bough of mistletoe down, and believed that through the possession of mistletoe, they could channel the powers of the mistletoe to themselves. Many examples of superstitions surrounding mistletoe are documented in literature over thousands of years. Some examples include, fire-proofing a house, epilepsy cure, promotion of conception, healing ulcers, scaring away passing demons, and protecting horses in stables.  

Over the history of man, we have been enamored with mistletoe and continue to bring nature closer to our everyday lives by studying plants. Keep the traditions alive, and one day someone might blog about your strange relationship with a parasite! 

Read more about mistletoe and its history here.