Kissing under the mistletoe, a popular American
holiday tradition, is held by some to increase the possibility of marriage
in the coming year. In North America this tradition became established in
the 1880s. One of the most mystical and sacred plants of
European folklore, mistletoe has long been a symbol of love, peace, and
goodwill. Traditions involving this plant date back to ancient times.
Mistletoe was widely used centuries before Christ in pagan rituals. The
ancient Druids of Britain used mistletoe to celebrate the coming of winter.
The plant was so sacred to the Druids that if two enemies met beneath a
tree on which mistletoe was growing, they would stop their battle and call
a temporary truce. Most of us know mistletoe as a sprig of small,
leathery green leaves and white berries tied with a red ribbon. American
mistletoe, Phoradendron leucarpum, is an evergreen shrub native to the United States.
It’s generally found growing in the tops of hardwood trees in the
eastern United States, from New Jersey to Florida and west to Texas and
Illinois. Hardy to zone 6, it is found in Illinois’ southernmost
counties. Other species of mistletoe, found in western North America, are
parasitic on conifers. Most mistletoe sold during the holiday season is
harvested in Oklahoma and Texas. Mistletoe’s scientific name, Phoradendron, means “thief of
the tree” in Greek, and the name is apt: All mistletoe species grow
as semiparasitic plants, living off the trees they attach themselves to.
Mistletoe has specialized tissue (hasutorium) that grows into and combines
with the tissue of the host plant. Although mistletoe’s green leaves supply some
energy, the plant relies on its host for water and mineral. Dense evergreen
mistletoe clusters are often found growing on such trees as oak, elm, and
poplar. The bushy clumps are easily to spot in the fall and winter, when
the host tree has shed its leaves. Mistletoe seeds are spread mainly by
birds, which feed on the berries, digest their pulp, and excrete the living
seeds. Even though mistletoe has only inconspicuous yellow
or white flowers, so small as to be barely visible, it was adopted in 1893
as the official state floral emblem of Oklahoma — 14 years before
Oklahoma became a state. Mistletoe appropriately represented the Oklahoma
landscape and population: It is reported that mistletoe served to decorate
settlers’ graves when no other flowers were available, and the
evergreen plant was said to symbolize the perseverance of the state’s
early settlers. Mistletoe is toxic and should not be ingested. The
severity of toxicity varies, but it’s still wise to keep mistletoe
out of reach of children and pets. For safety reasons, some companies have
replaced the berries with artificial plastic ones.
This article appears in Dec 1-7, 2005.
