Last time out, we were gathering greens from around the property for a holiday display (pine, bay, Toyon, aka Christmas Berry). Today we've gathered some bunches of another native, mistletoe. It's interesting that it came to represent kissing (berries were plucked from a hanging bough, each allowing one kiss), given that it is a "hemi-parasitic" plant. (Hemi-parasitic means it is half parasitic, attaching itself to tree branches, oak here, but sill able to do photosynthesis.)
Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemi-parasitic plants in several families in the order Santalales. The plants in question grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.
There is quite a bit of history and lore attached to the plant around the holidays.
Happy Mistletoe and Happy Holidays!
~Timothy
