With the holiday season just a few short weeks away, what better time to share our knowledge and fascination with mistletoe, the evergreen plant with quite a tough reputation!
Mistletoe in the ecosystem
In the UK, we have only one native variety of mistletoe (Viscum album). It is often seen when the autumn months have passed and the affected trees have lost their leaves, making the green foliage and small white berries vibrant against the bare branches.
Although many people believe that mistletoe is a parasitic plant, it is actually a hemi-parasite due to the ability to produce its own nutrients through photosynthesis. Once attached, these rounded clumps take nutrients and minerals from host trees, causing less established trees to become weakened and more susceptible to pests and pathogens. mistletoe is often found on a wide variety of trees but it grows frequently on Apple, Lime, and Poplar, species which have established well to the urban environment built around them.
Despite its parasitic nature, mistletoe plays an important role in our ecosystems. It provides food and habitat to our native birds and insects, many of which could not survive the colder months without the resources it provides.
Mapping with MistleGo! across the UK
To better understand the distribution of mistletoe across the UK, Oxford University DPhil candidate Ollie Spacey launched the MistleGo! App, in collaboration with the Tree Council. This project will use data gathered from the public to create a nationwide map showing mistletoe growth. The project runs until February 2026 and follows earlier research by Johnathan Briggs in the 1990s.
Briggs’ research focused on the decline of mistletoe in orchards, a historical habitat for the plant. This research found that while mistletoe populations were declining in orchards, they were thriving in parklands and churchyards, where the plant sometimes overwhelmed its host trees.
You can take part in Ollie’s research by downloading the MistleGo! app or using the browser version here.
Mistletoe traditions
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe boughs is likely one of the most well known in the UK. This romantic custom dates back to the 18th century when it was believed that those standing underneath the hanging decoration should be kissed, with refusals bringing bad luck. Often this kiss would be followed by plucking the white berries, leaving the less brave with limited time to steal a kiss.
In recent years, new traditions have emerged in Tenbury Wells, a small town known as England’s “mistletoe Capital.” Tenbury Wells has an extended history of mistletoe trading and auctions, with locals supplying mistletoe to markets across the country. In 2004, amid growing concerns that the traditions of the town would be lost, several local members of the town formed the Tenbury English mistletoe Association, a group that has worked hard to ensure the town’s heritage is protected. Their work helped establish National mistletoe Day which falls on December 1st, a holiday which became officially recognised by Parliament in 2005 and an annual festival which celebrates their historic connection to mistletoe and crowns a Mistletoe Queen. This year’s festival will take place on December 7th with hopes to bring visitors in from across the country.
How you can celebrate mistletoe this year
Whether you’re embracing festive traditions or marvelling at the ecological significance of mistletoe, there are many ways to get involved this winter:
- Take part in Citizen Science: Download the MistleGo! app or use the browser version to report mistletoe sightings in your area. Your contributions will help researchers map its distribution across the UK.
- Celebrate the Traditions: Hang mistletoe in your home or try to make your own mistletoe decorations from the mistletoe found in your garden.
- Learn About mistletoe’s Ecological Importance: Take time to appreciate how mistletoe supports our native wildlife, find mistletoe in your local green spaces, and help others learn about the benefits this plant brings.
Ask Dr Stump about mistletoe
If you have concerns about mistletoe on your trees or you’d like advice on how to introduce or manage it, contact our expert team at Dr Stump Ltd today! We’re here to help assess the impact on your trees and guide you through how to manage it.
“Mistletoe Research.” The Tree Council, 4 Nov. 2024, treecouncil.org.uk/science-and-research/mistletoe-research/.
Briggs, Jonathan. “Mistlego! A New Mistletoe Survey Launched!” – Jonathan’s Mistletoe Diary, 30 Nov. 2023, mistletoediary.com/mistlego-a-new-mistletoe-survey-launched/.
