Virginia is for Lovers of American Mistletoe

©Marlene Condon

December 6, 2019

While on a birding trip many years ago, I pointed out mistletoe growing high in a tree. One woman in the group was skeptical that this plant grew in Virginia, but it does and it’s easily seen after the trees have shed their leaves.

I first discovered American Mistletoe one December day while I was jogging. I noticed a “ball”, about one foot in diameter, of fleshy-looking green leaves hanging from a large branch of a Red Oak. Perhaps because I had always followed the tradition of hanging a sprig of fake mistletoe in my house at Christmastime in order to be kissed underneath it, I immediately recognized the plant. As an incurable romantic, I was delighted to find the real thing practically in my own backyard!

There are many species of mistletoe that are native to the United States, but only American Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum), the common mistletoe that is hung during the Christmas holidays, grows in Virginia.

Many people know that white mistletoe berries are poisonous to humans and pets and thus should not be hung in houses with small children and/or a dog or cat. However, many species of birds, such as Cedar Waxwings and Eastern Bluebirds, relish these small berries and help to spread mistletoe seeds.

Mistletoe berries each contain one seed covered by a very sticky substance. Birds eating these berries end up with this sticky “goo” on their beaks. They wipe their beaks on branches where a seed may be deposited and a new plant can grow. Birds may also spread the seeds through their droppings.

American Mistletoe usually grows near the tops of deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in autumn) because it needs sunshine. The tiny yellow blooms appear in September and October, but these are difficult to observe. However, by December the ¼-inch fruits have developed and can be seen with the aid of binoculars or a spotting scope.

Mistletoe employs specialized roots to absorb nutrients from the sap of woody plants and is thus considered parasitic. However, its green color tells you that it contains chlorophyll to make some of its own food (chlorophyll is a green pigment capable of forming carbohydrates with the aid of light).

Look for information about American Mistletoe in books about shrubs. Although the stems are green like the leaves, they contain the complex tissue–known as the “woody element” of a plant stem–which conducts water and dissolved minerals. It is the only shrub in the colder parts of North America that is parasitic on broad-leaved trees (trees that have wide leaves instead of the needles of cone-bearing trees).

Although you may not want to have genuine American Mistletoe with its poisonous fruits inside your house this Christmas, you can take advantage of its location if you find some. You can carry the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe one step further by using the real thing, high up in a tree, as an excuse to get a kiss in the great outdoors!

Marlene A. Condon is the author/photographer of The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books; information at www.marlenecondon.com). You can reach her at marlenecondon@aol.com