Mistletoe is one of the typical elements of Christmas, of good omen and has become one of the most loved symbols by lovers who are waiting for the winter period to be able to exchange a kiss under one of its twigs. But mistletoe does not only have these idyllic and romantic attributes.
This evergreen which over time has earned a more than positive reputation, which has overshadowed some of its fearsome characteristics, is nothing more than a parasitic or semi-parasitic shrub with toxic berries most of the time.
There are as many as 1300 different types of mistletoe documented in the world which botanists further classify into male and female species. Of these, it is the females that produce the characteristic berries which have a color that varies from white-pink to more reddish shades.
The berries of some mistletoe species are poisonous, while others are completely harmless. Among the toxic varieties there is for example the Viscum album that grows in Europe.
The seeds of the mistletoe berries spread in the surrounding environment thanks to birds that disperse them like real cannon shots, but of tiny dimensions. Thanks to the slimy and sticky substance they are made of, they cling to trees, becoming real parasites.
The roots called haustorium infest the host plant, reaching under the bark of the trunk and branches. The vascular tissue of the plant to which the mistletoe binds is located here and it is precisely here that water and nutrients are removed, even after the mistletoe branches have been uprooted. In fact, the roots last for many years.
Mistletoe is also part of the ecosystem, being a food source for numerous wild animals such as birds, moose, deer or squirrels. However, not all living beings can eat it. For dogs and cats, berries, as well as leaves, are dangerous, and the same goes for children.
So be careful where you place it if you decide to buy it so that it is not within easy reach. Here are other plants poisonous to dogs and cats
We also recommend:
