Roadside Mistletoe Is Alive and Well — But Not in Kane County

kanecountyconnects / December 21, 2016 / Comments Off / Communities, Environment, Kane County Forest Preserve District, Nature

Roadside Botany is written by Kane County Forest Preserve District Nature Programs Manager Valerie Blaine — with the exception of the lead in this article, which you can blame on Scrooge-like Kane County Connects Editor Rick Nagel.

Looking for a good excuse to kiss your favorite guy or girl in a natural outdoor setting this holiday season? Too bad! Because there ain’t no roadside mistletoe in Kane County, IL.

If you want to see some mistletoe, you’ll have to look in the great indoors this time of year. Most of us only know plastic mistletoe, sold alongside faux boughs of holly and artificial trees. The real mistletoe has quite a story behind it — which includes kissing, yes, but also ecology.

Mistletoe is the name for a number of related plants, some in North America, some in Australia, some in Europe. They’re all parasites. Hemi-parasites, to be precise. That means that the plant can make its own food, but it relies on its host to provide a good share of the resources it needs. Additionally, they’re aerial hemi-parasites. Meaning, they grow up in the tree tops.

One species in North America is Oak Mistletoe. As you might imagine, this species grows on oaks and other hardwood trees. Its range is widespread across the southern and eastern United States. We’re too far north for Oak Mistletoe in Kane County, but you can find it in the southern tip of Illinois. It has thick, leathery leaves and bunches of white berries (just like its plastic counterpart!).

In the western part of the United States, a different group of mistletoes parasitize conifers. These are the dwarf mistletoes, and they can be a big problem for commercial timber production. They retard the growth of their hosts, reduce plant vigor, and increase susceptibility to disease. Foresters have long tried to eradicate dwarf mistletoe from the forests of the West.

As is so often the case, when we take something out of an ecosystem, we find that it affects a lot of other things in that system. Sort of like pulling one thread on your sleeve, only to find it unravels the whole sweater. Mistletoes are connected to birds that rely on their berries for food, and on their branches for nests. They’re connected to insects that pollinate their flowers. The birds and insects are connected to mammals and reptiles, and ultimately to the soil. Thus these plants are keystone species, which means that without them, the ecosystem would be drastically different.

What about the kissing part? We’re getting there! The cultural aspect of mistletoe is as colorful as its ecology. Kissing, healing, peace and love are all part of this plant. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe comes from several sources, including Norse mythology and Druidic traditions. The berries are seen as the tears of the Norse goddess Frigg, who cried over the death of her son Baldr. To counter the hatred that led to Baldr’s death, Frigg’s tears — the mistletoe berries — came to symbolize peace and friendship. And, presumably, a way to show peace and friendship is kissing.

Mistletoe is also a symbol of fertility. Many mistletoe species grow on evergreens, and produce ltos of fruit. Custom has it that with each berry plucked from a sprig of mistletoe, one kiss may be stolen. This may limit the fun – unless you find a mistletoe loaded with berries!

Traditional medicinal uses of mistletoe in North America run the gamut. In many Native American cultures, mistletoe was a “heal-all” — a panacea. Among its more specific uses were: a gynecological aid (Zuni and Cherokee), a love potion (Cherokee), and a toothache remedy (Mendocino Indian).

Mistletoe has piqued interest in cancer research, and in Europe mistletoe extract is used in alternative medicine practice. As with many plants, mistletoe holds potential but much more study is required to verify its medicinal properties.

Mistletoe is much more than the fake green leaves in the crinkly plastic package. It’s a pretty fascinating plant with long ties to human culture, and an important ecological role to play. If you need an excuse to kiss someone this season, go for it! Or, if you just want a symbol of peace and friendship, a sprig of green to remind you of healing in nature, this is a great plant to have in your home at Christmas.

About the Forest Preserve District of Kane County

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County acquires, holds and maintains land to preserve natural and historic resources, habitats, flora and fauna. The district restores, restocks, protects and preserves open space for the education, recreation and pleasure of Kane County citizens. For more information, visit the district’s website or find them on social media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Also, sign up for the quarterly TreeLine Newsletter.