The Christmas Vampire

     Vampire movies and television shows are the rage these days. But is the idea of a ‘Christmas vampire’ carrying it a bit too far? Actually, not. There is a plant associated with Christmas that sucks the lifeblood (so to speak) from trees. This vampire is generally hidden from us until the leaves fall, then we see it.

    However, if two people meet in its presence, their hearts can beat faster. The custom associated with this vampire has awarded the first kiss to many young people - - - while standing under the mistletoe.

    Kissing-under-the-mistletoe is one of many folklore stories associated with mistletoe. Another story has it that Jesus was crucified on a cross of mistletoe wood. As punishment, the plant was banned from earth, thus growing in trees as a dwarfish plant. Mistletoe is still called Herbe de la Croix (wood of the cross) in parts of Brittany.

    Over 1300 species of mistletoe are found around the world. The unusual growth and feeding nature of mistletoe has set apart from other plants. Early Anglo-Saxons called them "mistl-tan" meaning "different twig."

     In many parts of the world, mistletoes are attributed with mystic and medicinal powers. Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids of northern Europe, the Ainos of Japan, and certain African tribes. Until the middle of the 19th century, European mistletoe was prominent in medicine and pharmacology. When growing on sacred willows in Japan, mistletoe was regarded as the cure for many diseases. In Malaysia, certain mistletoes were used as a muscle relaxant during childbirth, and to treat ringworm and snakebite.

    While mistletoes have different uses in different cultures, mistletoes cause a great deal of injury to forests, orchards, and ornamental plants. They are parasitic plants that extract water and nutrients from their tree hosts. The mistletoes impair growth, lower host plant vigor, reduce wood quality and quantity, reduce fruiting, and predispose trees to attack by insects and disease. In North America, wood losses due to this "vampire" are about 500 million cubic feet of lumber per year.

    On a positive note, in some areas of the country, collection of mistletoe is a cottage industry. Beginning in late November, mistletoe is collected, bagged, and sold for Christmas decorations. Some adventuresome people harvest mistletoe while hanging over the edge of the basket of a hot air balloon.

   Take time to enjoy this special holiday season and its traditions. Harvest some mistletoe to help a tree and maybe to entice a kiss from that special someone . . . but please, no biting.