What to Know about Mistletoe Facts and Mythology

Mistletoe is often associated with Christmas and winter celebrations. But did you know that its value goes far beyond its promise of holiday kisses? Just have a look here at the many vintage illustrations, antique photographs, and contemporary pictures that reveal mistletoe’s indelible mark on Yuletide. And, if you’ve ever wondered about the mistletoe plant, here are some fascinating factoids to keep in mind as well.

How the mistletoe tickles one’s fancy and captures the imagination…

Did you “see Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the Mistletoe last night”? Or, were you “Rocking around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop [with] a Mistletoe hung where you can see every couple tries to stop”?

Globally there are more than 1300 species of mistletoe. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), two species of mistletoe are endemic to this country: the American mistletoe and the dwarf mistletoe.

Interestingly enough, mistletoe has existed in the US for a very long time. Fossil pollen grains reveal that this plant has been present in the US for millions of years. And, archaeological excavations of 20,000-year-old pack rat middens have likewise indicated dwarf mistletoe remnants within! Because mistletoe has been in the US for as long as that, the USGS thereby concludes that this plant is an essential part of a healthy forest ecosystem, naming it a keystone species.

Unfortunately, due to urban sprawl and climate change, there are upwards of 20 mistletoe species worldwide that are endangered. Forest management programs currently are taking into account the health of mistletoe plants since they play a vital role in woodland equilibrium.

But, how does mistletoe spread? The mistletoe plant produces white berries that have seeds within. These berries can be eaten by birds who consequently spread the mistletoe via avian droppings. Ancient Anglo-Saxons noticed how mistletoe grew in areas where birds left their ordure, which correspondingly led to the Anglo-Saxon name for the plant, misteltan: “mistel” translates as “dung” and “tan” means “stick.” In other words, mistletoe roughly means “dung on a stick.”

Mistletoe can be disseminated in other ways. Its seeds are very sticky. To that end, mistletoe seeds propagate by sticking onto beaks, feathers, or animal fur. Besides that, dwarf mistletoe in the US and Canada are known to have berries that “explode.” When they do so, they can eject their seeds and disperse them as far as 50 feet away.

The mistletoe plant is considered a “hemi-parasite” — for it is not a true parasite. Once the mistletoe seed finds a suitable host, it then sprouts a specialized root system, called haustoria, into the host tree’s branches and trunk to draw nutrients from the host. However, mistletoe also produces its own energy. The mistletoe plant, after all, has green leaves where photosynthesis takes place. This mechanism evolved because some host trees age or get struck by lightning, so the mistletoe plant can still survive despite occasions when its host cannot provide enough nutrients. Of course, with the mistletoe remaining green even in winter, this allows the plant to produce energy to sustain itself without being affected by the season’s harsh weather.

Mistletoe plants have been known to grow into dense masses colloquially termed “witches brooms.” Navajo culture calls these mistletoe masses “baskets on high.” In turn, these mistletoe masses can weigh as much as 50 pounds and grow up to 5 feet in diameter.

Biologists note that mistletoe is a source of food for certain animals. The USGS reports that mistletoe berries house 10 amino acids and are relied upon by certain critters as a water source. Birds, for example, enjoy consuming mistletoe (hence the bird dropping mechanism that helps scatter the plant). Plus, bees get pollen from mistletoe. And, butterflies likewise lay their eggs on the plant.

Indeed, the survival of three US butterfly species — namely, the great purple hairstreak, the Johnson’s hairstreak, and the thicket hairstreak — hinge entirely upon mistletoe’s existence. These three butterfly species’ life cycles are intricately linked to this plant. Eggs are laid on the mistletoe. The larvae feed on its leaves, and incorporate camouflage techniques that mimic mistletoe mottling and coloration. Finally, the adults consume mistletoe nectar and simultaneously use the plant in courtship rituals.

Similarly, the bird phainopepla, or silky flycatcher, feeds exclusively on mistletoe in winter. If winter consumption of mistletoe berries is low, breeding rates the following spring are adversely affected.

Moreover, when the mistletoe plant’s host tree declines, the tree transforms into a viable nesting area for birds and small animals. It is not unheard of to find that the total number of organisms in a mistletoe-infested woodland outnumbers the population of a mistletoe-free forest by as much as three times, says the National Wildlife Federation. The USGS has further reported that “43 percent of spotted owl nests were associated with witches’ brooms… [and] 64 percent of all Cooper’s hawk nests in northeastern Oregon were in mistletoe.”

Now that we’ve covered the bio-ecological aspects of mistletoe, what about its mythological underpinnings? In many ways, we have both Celtic Druids and Norse mythology to thank for our Yuletide traditions surrounding mistletoe.

Pliny the Elder was the first to document mistletoe’s cultural hold. His work, Natural History (77 AD), referred to how Druids highly esteemed the mistletoe that grows on oak trees. Pliny went on to describe the ritual of oak and mistletoe, wherein white-clad druids would climb the sacred oak tree to cut bunches of mistletoe with a golden sickle, making sure none of the mistletoe would fall to the ground nor touch the earth. They’d follow the mistletoe-gathering ceremony with the sacrifice of two white bulls. Pliny’s account was pivotal in shaping the image of Druids and their beliefs about mistletoe.

These Celtic Druids of the 1st century AD saw mistletoe as a sacred plant thanks to its leaves remaining green throughout the year. Mistletoe even blooms in winter. The Druids thus attributed to mistletoe the qualities of vitality and fertility. By extension, the Druids deemed mistletoe a miracle plant that could heal all maladies and protect people, keeping them safe from harm.

Seeing that mistletoe was highly regarded, the Druids subsequently began the custom that if two adversaries were to meet beneath a mistletoe-laden tree, then both would put down their weapons and observe a truce until the following day. For the Druids, meeting beneath a mistletoe duly became a momentous occasion. The writings of Ovid expressly state that Druids would dance around oak trees that bear mistletoe.

And, in Norse mythology, when Odin’s son Baldr (the god of purity, light, and the summer sun) dreamed prophetically that he was to have an early demise, his mother Frigg (the goddess of knowledge and wisdom as well as love and beauty) became frantic. She knew that if Baldr did not live, the Earth would lose sunlight. Frigg therefore spoke with all the animals and plants and asked that they not harm Baldr. But she forgot to ask the same of the mistletoe, so the trickster god Loki fashioned a poisoned arrow from mistletoe to dispatch Baldr. For three days many attempted to revive Baldr. At that point, the power of Frigg’s tears changed the mistletoe berries from red to white, and Baldr was resurrected. Overjoyed with her son’s resurrection, Frigg reversed the bad reputation of mistletoe, blessed the plant, and declared that thenceforth mistletoe should bring love and not hate into the world. In so doing, Frigg made mistletoe a symbol of love and hope, and she decreed that all who pass under it should receive a kiss. By the eighth century, the Vikings widely viewed mistletoe as a sacred plant of peace and goodwill, bestowed with the power to restore life and vitality.

As the 1898 edition of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable more eloquently states:

…the mistletoe was placed in future under the care of Friga, and was never again to be an instrument of evil till it touched the earth, the empire of Loki. It is always suspended from ceilings, and when persons of opposite sexes pass under it, they give each other the kiss of peace and love in the full assurance that the epiphyte is no longer an instrument of mischief.

Legends began to grow around the mistletoe. It also helped that Shakespeare’s 1593 play Titus Andronicus mentioned mistletoe. Then, in the 18th and 19th centuries, kissing below the mistletoe became a tradition for the English. Author Washington Irving, for instance, mentioned mistletoe in one of his stories from 1820.

Another legend has it that each berry plucked from the mistletoe meant a kiss would be granted. Naturally that called for an abundance of mistletoe during the holidays so that the kissing would continue. This tradition was handed down over the centuries by the English, and to this day continues to thrive in American shores.

Recently there have been varied claims about mistletoe having medicinal properties. Europeans have utilized mistletoe extracts for cancer treatments, and the Chinese have incorporated Asian mistletoe in some of their healing practices. The Navajo’s past medicinal traditions have used juniper mistletoe to create salves for healing bug bites and warts, too. While there has been a history of the plant’s use to cure certain ailments, modern medicine, by contrast, still requires more extensive research to prove these claims’ effectiveness and consistency. In fact, the US has not yet officially approved the use of mistletoe in treating disease. In this respect, it is best to keep the mistletoe as a decorative piece only, and always consult a qualified physician before turning to mistletoe as a remedy.

Additionally, there are numerous debates on the toxicity of mistletoe to humans. There have been cases where ingesting mistletoe leads to vomiting, blurred vision, heartbeat irregularity, and seizure. Furthermore, domestic animals that have ingested mistletoe can experience diarrhea, vomiting, and seizures; mistletoe can be lethal for certain pets as well. Given these reasons, it is highly advisable to keep mistletoe away from children and family pets, just in case.

Mistletoe has several superstitions associated with it. Before the 20th century, folks who sported a necklace with mistletoe hanging from it were said to be protected from harm, provided the mistletoe had not touched the ground. Old British farmers were also said to have fed a bough of mistletoe to their livestock on January 1st in hopes of warding off any agricultural bad luck in the new year. French farmers, on the other hand, would burn a bag of mistletoe in their fields to have a good harvest in the new year. Then there was the superstition of any single maiden sleeping with a sprig of mistletoe beneath her pillow so that she’d have a glimpse of her future husband in her dreams.

In all, as you gaze this holiday season on the mistletoe above the threshold, take a moment to ponder on its history and mythology. Perhaps the spirit of optimism that the mistletoe represents will likewise shower you with the propitious promise of happier things and blessings to come.