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Flowers: February -
April.
The legendary
Mistletoe is a parasitic shrub, which forms a rounded tuft of up
to one metre across on its host, which is most commonly an Apple
or a Poplar. The stems are much branched. The narrow leaves are
leathery and grow in pairs. Its small white flowers are rather
inconspicuous. Male and female flowers are growing on different
plants. Mistletoe bears its berries from November - January. Birds
eat these sticky berries and wipe the seeds off onto other trees,
which may then host a new plant.
Mistletoe is found
throughout the British Isles, except for the far North and
Ireland. It tends to be more common in areas where there are
orchards, such as Herfordshire.
Although the
powdered dried young leavy twigs have been used in herbal medicine
in the past for high blood pressure and many other complaints,
this is not a herb for self-medication. The berries are highly
poisonous and the results can be erratic. There are also reports
that it may have a toxic effect on the liver if used without the
right knowledge. There are many legends and traditions associated
with Mistletoe and I hope to do a longer article on this plant in
the future. In the Winter edition 2002/2003 of Tree Talk you can
find out why people kiss under the Mistletoe: Christmas
Curiosa.
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