When the leaves are off the trees this
time of year you can scan the high branches of the towering oaks
in some forests for glimpses of American mistletoe. Identified
nearly 2000 years ago, Anglo Saxons named the plant "mistle-tan"
meaning "dung twig" after bird droppings on a branch.
It was thought the plant's existence was entwined with birds
but it is actually a parasitic plant that is also known as the
Vampire Plant.
The mistletoe sends out a root-like structure
into the bark of hardwood trees and extracts all its nutrients
from its host. The mistletoe's mooching won't kill the oak -
if the host dies, it dies. You can recognize mistletoe by its
clumps of 2-inch greenish-yellow leaves and clusters of white
berries. The tradition of kissing under a sprig of mistletoe
dates back hundreds of years.
The proper procedure is to pick one berry off the plant for every
kiss received. When the berries are gone, so are the kisses.
Make sure you dispose of the berries after you're through bussing
- they are toxic to dogs and people.
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