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TDEC:   Department of Environment and Conservation   November/December, 1997 Myths and Lore of MistletoeBy Andrea Brewer Shea and David DuhlPhotos by David Duhl Mistletoe and Christmas. What other holiday tradition brings such a smile to thefaces of men and women of all ages? It wasn't always this way. For at least 3,000 years, mistletoe was gathered in midsummer and was burned as part ofa Celtic ritual. Mistletoe was considered sacred by virtue of its occurrence on oak trees (a rareoccurrence in Europe), a sacred tree and a symbol of strength and immortality. The plant was ceremoniously cut with a golden sickle by Celtic priests and caught on awhite cloth so as to avoid touching the ground. This ceremony coincided with the wintersolstice and thus began the winter celebration. Mistletoe was also used to welcome the new year and to ward off evil. Mistletoe washung over a baby's cradle to prevent theft from fairies, and it was believed thatmistletoe promoted dreams that unlocked the secrets of immortality. When hung in the home, mistletoe symbolized purity and strength and promoted happiness,romance and peace. In fact, custom called for enemies meeting beneath the mistletoe tothrow down their weapons and embrace. Mistletoe also was believed to possess medicinal properties. When worn, mistletoe hadthe extraordinary powers of warding off demons and witches while protecting the wearerfrom fits, fever, tremors and poison. On top of all that, it was thought to promotefertility. It was even used as a treatment for convulsions and nervous disorders (eventhough mistletoe is very poisonous!). It also had some use as a vasodilator and sedativeuntil the 1950s. Modern medical research has shown that mistletoe has promise for treatingsome cancers, hypertension, vertigo, epilepsy, palsy and cardiovascular ailments. Researchhas also confirmed that it is, in fact, very poisonous, so alternatives were developed andmistletoe--the miracle drug--disappeared. Because of its association with pagan ceremonies, mistletoe was banned from Christmasceremonies by the Church. A common medieval belief held that mistletoe was the wood used to make the crucifix.Cursed, mistletoe was no longer welcome on earth and was doomed to live as a parasitegrowing on trees. It was not until the 17th century that people became more open abouttheir fondness for mistletoe. Kissing under the mistletoe came about because of the beliefthat mistletoe's curative powers would cure a broken heart and soothe the differencesbetween quarreling lovers. Mistletoe is primarily a tropical plant, some growing up to 30 feet tall. The mistletoeof Christmas tradition grows in Europe and Asia, and a dwarf mistletoe, one of the world'ssmallest vascular plants, can be found in some conifers of Western North America. InTennessee, only one mistletoe species is common, Phoradendron leucarpum. Mistletoe is a thief. It's scientific name, Phoradendron means "thief of thetree" in Greek. To understand why, look at the life of American mistletoe. Mistletoeis semiparasitic; that is, while it has green leaves that provide some energy, it meetsmany of its energy needs by sucking the life blood from its host, usually oaks, elms andpoplars. The roots of the mistletoe never reach the ground. Roots enter the host tree, robbingit of necessary water and minerals. Actually, mistletoe has developed a very specializedtissue with the shape of a bell (called a haustorium). This bell-shaped structure growsinto the host tree and combines with the living tree. Mistletoe survives by starving thehost tree, sometimes to death. For this reason, mistletoe is sometimes known as "thevampire plant." In addition to a host tree, mistletoe needs a way to pollinate its flowers and a way tospread its seeds to the branches of trees. While insects pollinate mistletoe, spreading ofthe seeds is a most interesting process. In Europe, the mistle thrush bird carries thevery sticky one-seeded fruits to other host trees. Then, after consuming the berries, itregurgitates the seeds into branch crevices--an excellent place for mistletoe seeds togerminate. In North America, birds avoid the immature fruits which are bitter, hard and containpoisonous compounds. Instead, they eat and disperse the mature fruits which are still hardto digest. The resulting unharmed seeds take root in the new host tree. In Australia, mistletoe fruit is winged and is dispersed by the wind. And dwarfmistletoe may have the most interesting means of seed dispersal of all. The fruit seems tobe explosive; the sticky seed, shaped like a small missile, may travel up to 60 feet atspeeds of up to 80 feet per second before sticking to a new host! In fact, a productcalled bird lime, a sticky substance smeared on trees to catch birds, is made from theberries of mistletoe. After the seed lodges in the new host tree branch, it grows into a yellowish-greenplant up to three feet long. Its dense leathery oval- to lance-shaped opposite leaves(about two inches long) mask the small pale flowers that appear in compact spikes (maleand female flowers are found on different plants). The plants grow slowly and generallysurvive as long as the host does. Every year, mistletoe is collected and used as a Christmas ornament, and every year,children and family pets become ill from the poisonous berries. We don't use mistletoe toward off baby thieves or to promote dreams of immortality anymore. For some reason though,kissing under the mistletoe has survived through the ages; it probably will for a long ,long time, too. (With the TDEC's Division of Natural Heritage, Andrea Brewer Shea is endangeredspecies coordinator and David Duhl is manager of the Tennessee Rivers Assessment Project.)  Mistletoe is easiest to find in the winter months when the leaves of the host tree are absent.....  It spreads when the berries are eaten by birds and dispersed. |
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