A Mistletoe Mystery:
Here’s a look at mistletoe growing in the desert. Mistletoe, Viscum Album. The familiar, white-berried plant of the winter holiday season, is a parasitic plant that grows on the branches of several species of trees, including several in the desert mid-west. Mistletoe burrows roots into the inner wood of trees and feeds from their sap, and is known as parasitic.
Now a days, we are such a plant phobic culture that people are too afraid to bring this into their house because it is indeed a poisonous plant. Yet, they may have no problem having house plants which are of equal toxicity, and plenty of cleaning products which are much more toxic.
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is yet another pre-Christian ritual that was swallowed up and assimilated by the Catholic Church with no question or tradition as to why.
It is more likely that mistletoe was applied as a talisman or sache to attract love, as was a thriving folk tradition with many plants.
Medicinally, Mistletoe has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for a variety of conditions including seizures, headaches, and arthritis. Today, mistletoe is also used in Europe as a treatment for cancer.
Check out lots of herbalism and foraging videos, articles, and upcoming classes as well as herbal goods at www.returntonature.us and www.facebook.com/returntonatureskills
Happy holy days!
Dan de Lion
