European mistletoe / Viscum album is a species of mistletoe native to Europe and some parts of asia. It has a noteworthy role in European mythology, legends, and customs. In modern times, it is commonly featured in Christmas decoration and symbology.
Perhaps some of you have already experienced a sweet kiss or two under the Christmas mistletoe, enjoying this fairly old ritual. But mistletoe is important in other vital ways: it provides essential food, cover, and nesting sites for an amazing number of animals.
One of several interesting facts (for me): Viscum album is a hemiparasite on several species of trees, from which it draws water and nutrients, but is also photosynthetic to some degree and produces chlorophyll by itself. Mistletoe was often considered a pest that killed trees, but nowadays we know it as an ecological keystone species. Not only Viscum album, also mistletoes all over the world have very interesting inter-actions with other species, and not just with their hosts. Most also form miniature ecosystems of their own, with specialist birds, insects and fungi. A broad array of animals (mostly birds) depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the berries, the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants and dispersing the sticky seeds. When eaten, some seeds pass unharmed through their digestive systems; if the birds’ droppings happen to land on a suitable branch, the seeds may stick long enough to germinate.
But it is also important to know the Mistletoe contains a mixture of proteins toxic for humans. The leaves and stems are more poisonous than the fruits, and there is some evidence that the toxicity depends on the species of tree on which mistletoe is growing. Poisoning is rarely serious, but Pets can be at risk when the mistletoe is indoors for decoration.
