Mistletoe: symbolism, harvest & cultivation of the semi-parasites

How can you harvest mistletoe for Christmas? And are mistletoes actually poisonous? We answer six exciting questions about mistletoe.

An ancient custom says that two people standing under mistletoe should kiss. But the mistletoe is not only used as an icebreaker and oracle for searching singles. It was also believed earlier that it kept evil spirits and fire away from houses. Mistletoes were also part of Druidic healing potions. In any case, a mistletoe brings good luck for Christmas and of course serves as a guardian of lovers. Here you can find out if the weakly poisonous mistletoe can become a problem in trees, how to harvest it, which ones Symbolism makes the mistletoe so special and whether it can also be used therapeutically or medicinally can.

By the way: Our native white berry mistletoe (Viscum album subsp. album) is a semi-parasite. So it carries out photosynthesis itself with its green leaves, but withdraws water and nutrients from the host plant via suction organs - the haustoria.

1. Are mistletoes poisonous?

The mistletoe is slightly poisonous and, if consumed in excess, can cause discomfort in the form of abdominal pain, diarrhea, low heart rate and decreased blood pressure. Nevertheless, the way to the doctor is almost never necessary. Pregnant women are advised to avoid mistletoe and mistletoe medication.

All green parts of mistletoe are considered to be slightly toxic to us, mainly due to the viscotoxins they contain. Accidental consumption can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, decreased heart rate and decreased blood pressure. However, a critical dose for mistletoe is not known. The juice from the mistletoe leaves and stems can also irritate the skin and mucous membranes. Even if the berries have been consumed, you should drink a lot as a precaution, but further measures are usually superfluous. In processed form, mistletoe is even used as an effective medicine. However, they should be avoided in any form by pregnant women, as some of their ingredients appear to be able to migrate into the placenta and the effects of this are still unknown. We have compiled for you elsewhere, Which plants expectant mothers should rather do without.

Mistletoe, on the other hand, is anything but poisonous for birds. The white mistletoe berries provide an important source of food for our local people in the barren winter months Resident birds.

2. Mistletoe as a remedy, Christmas custom and miracle plant

The mistletoe has a rich symbolism in various past and existing cultures, which it probably has Thanks to the unusual way of life on trees, the blooming season in winter and the evergreen leaves Has. It stands for life, is considered sacred and a universal medicinal plant. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from England. The connection to the Christian Christmas feast was likely taken over from pagan customs.
Mistletoe had already accumulated a treasure trove of symbolic meanings in ancient Greece. The hero Aeneas used the branch of the oak mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus) to open the gate to the realm of the dead. Consequently, mistletoe is mythologically considered the victor over death. It symbolizes life precisely because it is one of the few green, even flowering and fruiting plants in winter.
Mistletoe also plays an important role in Nordic mythology, in the Edda: Frigga's son Baldur was fatally hit with an arrow made of mistletoe wood. Frigga had made all creatures promise not to harm Baldur, but had forgotten the mistletoe, which the mad god Loki took advantage of. Out of anger, Frigga forbade the mistletoe to ever touch the ground again, so that it had to move to lofty heights.

Finally, among the Celts, mistletoe was a magical panacea that could only be cut from the trees with golden sickles and caught with the left hand. In addition, it should protect against fire, illness and ghosts, make them fertile and especially help with childhood diseases.

The custom of the kiss under the mistletoe finally comes from England and says that two under People standing under a mistletoe have to kiss as often as the man involved has to kiss a berry from the bush picks.

The romantic symbolism of mistletoe is also very popular in Germany. If a couple kisses under a mistletoe, their love should last forever. But be careful! This magical power of mistletoe should only unfold when the holy greenery has been brought to the couple as a gift by third parties. Incidentally, sealed love does not have to be romantic in nature: Mistletoe should also strengthen ties of friendship. And a Scandinavian belief in the sanctity of the plant ensured that two warriors had to make a truce in their presence.

But what does mistletoe have to do with Christmas? The connection to the Christian festival was inherited from ancient celebrations of the winter solstice, but their relation to mistletoe is also unclear. Reason enough could be the magical effect against ghosts, the defiant green in the cold winter as a sign of life and the beautiful winter berry decorations.

3. How can mistletoe be harvested?

Mistletoe can be found on certain types of deciduous trees, such as maple and poplar, as well as some conifers such as firs and pines. They are harvested either with a ladder or from the ground with a telescopic saw or scissors. Whole plants or only parts can be removed if the mistletoe is to survive and continue to grow.

Often the first problem with the mistletoe harvest is that the beautiful parasites have to be found first. For this it is useful to know which trees they prefer to populate. Look at poplars (Populus), Willows (Salix), Apple trees (Malus), Birch trees (Betula), Hazelnuts (Corylus), Locust trees (Robinia pseudoacacia), Linden trees (Tilia) and maple (Acer). But also conifers like silver fir (Abies alba), Jaw (Pinus) and spruce (Picea) can carry mistletoe. An insider tip are overgrown orchards, as mistletoe apparently prefers to grow on apple trees.
Once you step into their airy realm, mistletoe is quite easy to harvest. Safe standing ladders are best, if possible held down and secured by a second person. They can be harvested by hand, with scissors or hand saws, completely or only in parts - if the plant is to continue to grow and to be harvested again. The safest way to harvest is from the ground with a telescopic saw or scissors.
Incidentally, mistletoe is not protected and can be harvested all year round.

4. How can you remove mistletoe from trees?

Trees with problematic mistletoe infestation should be checked annually and then the semi-parasites should be removed, with the mistletoe cut close to the trunk of the host. The winter time is best for this, when the mistletoe is easily recognizable in the bare host plant.

Mistletoes in trees are not entirely without problems: It is not in the vernacular that they are called the "strangler of the apple tree". In old orchards, which are ecologically very valuable, mistletoe can become a problem if the infestation becomes so severe that the survival of the tree is no longer guaranteed. This generally applies to multiple infestations, regardless of the tree species affected. Endangered trees should therefore be checked annually and, if possible, freed from parasites. The winter time is best suited for this, when the trees are bare and the mistletoe is exposed to our eyes. The mistletoe is cut as close as possible above the trunk of the host tree, removing the suction roots is not possible or necessary. It makes sense to remove all mistletoe in the immediate vicinity, as a new infestation is less likely to occur this way.

Tip: If you rid your trees of mistletoe in Advent, you will have a nice decoration and maybe even gifts for friends. Mistletoe stays green and fresh for a long time in water.

5. Can you grow mistletoe yourself?

If you want to grow mistletoe yourself, you need seeds, a suitable host tree and patience. It is only one to two years after sowing that a sown mistletoe shows for the first time as a green shoot and then has to grow for several years to reach its spherical shape and to become a usable Christmas ornament will.

You can grow your own mistletoe using the following six steps:

1. Collect ripe fruit from a mistletoe growing elsewhere between November and March. The berries are ripe when they become soft. Note that these are specialized subspecies: there are deciduous tree mistletoe, fir mistletoe, and pine mistletoe, and each subspecies is dependent on the respective host tree species.
2. Sow the fresh mistletoe seeds and the surrounding fruit immediately without storing them for a long time.
3. Choose a place on the new host tree that is not yet protected by thick bark, but only by thin bark. The height and thickness of the branch or trunk used are irrelevant.
4. Sow the seeds on dry bark, if possible in a place where the bark dries quickly after the rain - otherwise the seeds could slide off later. Sunny to partially shaded areas are ideal.
5. Squeeze the fruit between your fingers and swipe its contents where you want it.
6. Germination takes place in March of the following year, after a further one to two years the first leaves appear, the mistletoe then blooms after six to seven years.

6. How is mistletoe used therapeutically?

The whole mistletoe is used in medicine. So-called mistletoe lectins and the viscotoxins already mentioned are used in medicines. Applications for lowering blood pressure (often in combination with hawthorn), stimulating the immune system and triggering desired, local inflammations have been scientifically proven. However, skills are also ascribed to mistletoe whose origin is more traditional and anthroposophical in nature and which have not yet been proven. This includes use in alternative cancer therapy.

The Christmas tree is of course also typical for the Christmas season. Why a Christmas tree in the pot is the more sustainable alternative, you can read here.