When the leaves have fallen - it's the time to spot the big round clumps of mistletoe in the trees. Most are up high in the branches, like this one in the water oak in my front yard. I remember days when boys would come knocking on our door with their red Radio Flyer wagons full of mistletoe for sale. 10 cents for a small bunch and 25 cents for a big bunch. My mom always bought 50 cents worth for decorating use throughout the house this time of year. Boys don't seem to be quite as industrious as they used to be. No red wagons full of mistletoe for sale today. Sad - really. I'd buy some in a heartbeat!
I studied mistletoe a long time ago, I was fascinated by it's myth and lore. I was very disappointed to learn that American Mistletoe and the kind that grows in Europe and the UK are quite different. The mistletoe of myth and lore only grows in Europe and the UK. American mistletoe has no myth or lore, but it still serves for decorations and kissing corners. More info here - http://namethatplant.net/plantdetail.shtml?plant=1067 and a good article here - https://www.poison.org/articles/2015-dec/mistletoe and a little about myth and lore here - http://www.heathenhof.com/mistletoe/
how interesting - we have our own native mistletoe here too and a native mistletoe bird that spreads it by doing a special little dance on tree branches as they poop to stick the seed in a spot just right for it to sprout and take root. ours flowers quite spectacularly too! great and interesting info you gave
Grand tree. Not sure you can find them here. Have to check their Maltese name, if they have one, to see about that. I have never seen Santa kissing mummy under a tree, hehe.
When I was in France one of my cousin used to pick up mistletoes giant bunches and drop them in all our families houses , so when I see this plant I always have him in my memories hidden by his giant bunch ! Thanks ;)
@lyndemc That's what boys used to do to gather it up to sell around the neighborhood. That's how they made spending money to buy their mom a present. =)
beautiful shot, I discovered a few years ago that mistletoe is a parasitic plant wich grows on other trees, I love to put a sprig under every door of the house so I always have the excuse to kiss my husband
@koalagardens That's fascinating! I'll have to look it up and learn more. Thank you!
@aikiuser Yep. Ours is pretty boring. =)
@wakelys It is a parasite, but it's myth goes all the way back to the Druids which is very fascinating to me. =)
@pdulis Thanks, Peter!
@mittens Thank you, Marilyn!
@lyndemc That's what boys used to do to gather it up to sell around the neighborhood. That's how they made spending money to buy their mom a present. =)
@ziggy77 Thanks, Jo!
@mccarth1 Thank you, Kerry!
here is mine in bloom https://365project.org/koalagardens/xtra/2020-09-16
and the bird that pollinates with a dance https://365project.org/thedarkroom/365/2020-09-14
isn't nature awesome