Well it’s only two days to Christmas Day and I went out to look for mistletoe. I knew there was some because I have seen it ….here….
and, thankfully more accessibly, here……
But I was surprised when I found it was so different from the European Mistletoe. This is Phoradendron leucarpum…which very loosely translates as “white berry thief”. “Thief” as in stealing life from its host tree. The leaf branching structure is different from the UK variety and I am afraid my sample sprig has no berries yet. I seem to remember them coming later in the spring last year.
Although mistletoes are labelled as parasites I read that they are not now regarded as such a threat, just part of nature’s rich inter-dependant pattern, and host and mistletoe can be left to coexist quite happily in many cases. Which is good news for Druids.
I am sorry there were no berries but the thought was there.. a Very Happy Christmas to all….back soon…..
______________________________________
American Mistletoe… without berries!
