Mistletoe is best known for its role in holiday festivities, as seen on this Christmas card from 1886, and it features in ancient lore of many cultures, whether Celtic druids or Scandinavian gods.

A parasitic plant with potentially poisonous berries might not sound like something that would boost your Christmas decorations to the next level. But, botanically speaking, that’s what mistletoe is.

Mistletoe has many mythic associations, but the most popular by far is the Christmas tradition of compelling people to kiss under it. With white, red, or pink berries, and its romantic associations, ...

Did you ever kiss beneath mistletoe? If so, you touched tradition older than the birth of Christ. Historically, there are two theories about how mistletoe came to be a plant used to encourage kissing.

Mistletoe hanging in a doorway may be a fun way to steal a kiss during the holidays but mistletoe hanging from a living tree is another story. Mistletoe can be downright harmful to a tree if it is ...

Hanging mistletoe during the holiday season is a beloved tradition steeped in mystery, romance and a touch of superstition. While today it’s most commonly associated with sharing a kiss, mistletoe’s ...

Mistletoe is more than a festive decoration that helps with holiday matchmaking; it has a rich history and distinctive growing habits. Known for its evergreen leaves and white berries, this stunning ...

Some plants are so entwined with tradition that it’s impossible to think of one without the other. Mistletoe is such a plant. But set aside the kissing custom and you’ll find a hundred and one reasons ...

As we take joy and delight during the holidays, celebratory plants are all around us. Fir trees decked with lights, ribbon, and ornaments stand proudly over presents. The elegant scarlet leaves of ...

A classic holiday plant, the mistletoe, is actually a parasite that sends out root-like structures into the branches of host trees, stealing water and nutrients. Mark Arena Clemson Extension Of all ...

Now that the leaves have mostly fallen, we can see the mistletoe that lives there year-round. Did you know that hundreds of years ago it was believed all the energy that was in the tree was ...

It's been a staple of holiday parties and Christmas songs for generations, and everyone knows what you're supposed to do when you're standing underneath it. But why is it a tradition to kiss ...