sending you all a piece..........

From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore.

It was considered to bestow life and fertility; a protection against poison; and an aphrodisiac. Strange thing is that mistletoe itself is poisonous!

I found out that mistletoe is a hemiparasite: it can grow independently but is almost always found growing on trees, apple or perhaps oak, which is how I've always seen it in the countryside.

(Ooops, slipped up already this year - tried to post this under 1st January 2014....)

[julia]

Good to teach us about your Mistletoe... something that we hear about often but do not see... will take us awhile to get use to 2015...

[Pat Knowles]

We have no mistletoe up here Hazel, it's really expensive to buy....nice to know the history!

[Hazel]

@happypat

I think this bunch was £3.

[Pat Knowles]

@quietpurplehaze wow that is cheap.....we get no kisses under the mistletoe up here!

[Anita Russell]

I buy it sometimes but it never lasts, the berries drop off. Yours looks lovely. Happy new year

[Penelope Ann]

Beautiful subject in a great composition.... thanks for the tip about the date :-)

[wendy frost]

Lovely capture and information . Mistletoe has always fascinated me must be to do with all the kisses I might get. ha ha

[Kane Arlow]

Great shot Hazel. Those dates have tripped me up s few times as well.

[Bep]

Thanks for sending me a piece of mistletoe!

[Babs]

We get lost of mistletoe in NSW and it always grows on other trees.

[Lisa Poland]

Fabulous! We don't see much live mistletoe in America. Mostly we buy it dried, then it crumbles all over the place! LOL! Beautiful shot!

[Lady Magpie (Heather)]

A lovely capture and I haven't seen much mistletoe this year, at least the men have been lucky then haven't they.

[Margaret Brown]

Lovely capture, so seasonal

[Hazel]

@pennystot @karlow75

I really thought no problem about dates as I hardly ever write cheques, don't go to work etc but I really tripped up on here!

[Ivan]

Lovely photo, Hazel, and nice information too. We've seen it mostly in France, on trees as you say. Tina & Ivan

[Jules Sparrow]

Very clever Hazel I love the little inset pic!

[Nicole]

very lovely!

[Joyce]

Clever composition Hazel A very Happy New Year to you and your family.

[Lynda]

Lovely composition Hazel.

[Richard Hickey]

Wonderful picture.

[Pyrrhula]

Great shot of the mistletoe . Love the insert. I see those are for sale. I told before I did

[Pyrrhula]

Thanks for the Fav. on my ``selfie``. To day I do a `` Whole``

[Leah]

Thanks for sending the mistletoe!!! Nice shot!!! Happy New Year, Hazel!!!

[Cathie]

Interesting and detailed shot, Hazel -- and I learned something about mistletoe. Happy New Year!

[Claire]

Just love mistletoe, sending a kiss in return