Mistletoe: A parasite with kissing powers

Large berries make for pretty mistletoe. Large berries make for pretty mistletoe. Photo: Rex C. Curry/special Contributor, FREELANCE Photo: Rex C. Curry/special Contributor, FREELANCE Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Mistletoe: A parasite with kissing powers 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

We fill the holidays with loving gestures, but I find it odd we smooch beneath a sprig of mistletoe, a potentially poisonous, parasitic plant. Tradition can come with a strange twist.

Through the centuries, various cultures have put their own spin on mythical mistletoe, some crediting it with more than kissing powers. Celtic Druids believed mistletoe to be sacred because in winter, clumps of thick green leaves and white berries thrived on otherwise bare tree limbs - a heavenly symbol of fertility.

During the Middle Ages, Europeans hung mistletoe branches to ward off evil.

A Scandinavian tale may have jump-started the kissing custom. Frigga, the goddess of love and beauty, lost her son to a poisonous mistletoe dart, but her tears changed the red berries to white and raised her son from the dead. A thankful Frigga then kissed anyone who walked beneath mistletoe.

In 18th-century England, young women who kissed beneath mistletoe balls at Christmas could expect romance or at least a lasting friendship in the coming year.

Americans adopted notions of mistletoe's romantic powers early in the country's history. Washington Irving mentions the magical plant in his 1820 story "Christmas Eve."

If you haven't hung a mistletoe branch with red ribbon in your home for the holidays, you might find a chance to steal a kiss from your sweetie beneath a clump perched on a high limb in a nearby tree.

More Information Mistletoe facts There are 1,300 mistletoe species worldwide. The contiguous United States and Canada are home to more than 30 species, and six are found in Hawaii. Globally, more than 20 mistletoe species are endangered. The genus name of North America's common oak mistletoe is Phoradendron, Greek for "tree thief." Ancient Anglo-Saxons noticed that mistletoe often grew where birds left droppings, which is how mistletoe got its name: In Anglo-Saxon, "mistel" means "dung" and "tan" means "twig," hence, "dung-on-a-twig." Source: National Wildlife Federation

Mistletoe toxicity to humans and pets depends on the species and amount ingested. But the white berries are important to wildlife. Deer, elk and squirrels are among the mammals that rely on the berries when other food is scarce, says the National Wildlife Federation. Robins, chickadees, bluebirds and mourning doves also eat the berries.

Mistletoe's sticky seed capsules catch a ride on these feeding birds and mammals to new growing sites. While mistletoe can grow like other plants and make food through photosynthesis, it often grows as a parasite, its penetrating roots stealing water and nutrients from the host plant, which might be an oak, ash or elm in a home garden.

Generally, mistletoe is not considered a serious threat to trees, reports the Texas A&M Forest Service. But parasitic mistletoe can gradually weaken and perhaps kill a limb, so homeowners should call an arborist for advice and any needed pruning. Heavy infestations stress trees and may contribute to poor tree health or death. Make sure trees are adequately watered, especially during drought.

As mistletoe matures, it creates a mass of branches and stems known as a witch's broom, ideal nesting grounds for house wrens, chickadees, mourning doves, spotted owls, Cooper's hawks, pygmy nuthatches and squirrels, reports the federation. Mistletoe also is host plant to three butterflies: the great purple hairstreak, the thicket hairstreak and the Johnson's hairstreak. Some species of native bees also feed on mistletoe nectar.

Like foxglove and yew, mistletoe is both potentially poisonous yet has medicinal qualities. It's been used to provide good sleep and treat various maladies, including headache and menopause. The latest use is to combat cancer. Mistletoe-derived drugs are prescribed in some European countries, and U.S. lab studies show positive results, reports the National Cancer Institute.