Marvellous Mistletoe

Previously written and published for The Herb Society

Mistletoe is a captivating evergreen plant that grows as a semi-parasite, gracing leafless trees with its beautiful greenery long after the leaves have fallen. Its unique nature creates a magical and festive ambience that is closely linked to the holiday season. However, the intriguing history and folklore surrounding this seemingly unassuming plant, with roots dating back over 2,000 years, remain largely unknown to many.

Pliny the Elder (77AD) documented the Druids' belief in the mystical powers of Mistletoe. In his 37-volume encyclopedia Naturalis Historia, he wrote: "The Druids—that is what they call their magicians—hold nothing more sacred than mistletoe and a tree on which it is growing, provided it is a Valonia Oak."

The Druids, he noted, considered Mistletoe to be a panacea, a miraculous cure-all. They believed that picking Mistletoe from an Oak tree during a full moon without using iron and without letting it touch the ground would enhance its potency. It was thought that in this manner, the plant could cure epilepsy and if worn as an amulet by women would aid in fertility. Additionally, it was believed that consuming the plant would enable individuals to absorb the strength of the tree from which it came, as it was believed that the tree's life force also resided in the Mistletoe berries.

In the myth of Balder, Mistletoe plays a significant role. The story originates from the Snorra Edda, written around the 13th Century. According to the tale, Frigg, the mother of Balder, wished to ensure her son's safety. She made every element, plant, and animal swear not to harm him. However, she overlooked the young Mistletoe shoot growing east of Valhalla. Balder's cunning and envious brother, Loki, took advantage of this oversight. He tricked his blind brother, Höðr, into shooting an arrow tipped with Mistletoe, leading to Balder's tragic demise. The gods were unable to resurrect Balder, and his death brought an end to joy, justice, and beauty in the world. Consequently, Balder was consigned to the realm of the dead. Frigg was incredibly distressed, and her tears transformed into delicate white berries that cascaded over the plant, serving as a poignant symbol of her deep love for him.

Given its close association with heathen beliefs, Mistletoe was not Christianised but instead, it was framed negatively. Like many other revered plants and trees, it underwent a significant transformation, shifting from a sacred plant to a witch's plant. This belief is still evident in the Flemish/Dutch names for the plant, such as Maretak. This name refers to the mare, originally a white elf of the air or a she-elf, whose magical power was later associated with the devil and his female assistants, the witches. The mare was envisioned as a living being, usually a woman, who could appear in all forms. People

also believed that Mistletoe arose on the parts where a mare or elf had sat, hence the German term Hexenbesen (witch broom) or Kesennest (witches' nest).

Mistletoe's most famous and traditional association is with the romantic tradition of being kissed underneath it. The custom of kissing beneath the Mistletoe, with its historical origins in Britain and France, connects us to the past. In France, wishes are exchanged under a bunch of Mistletoe at midnight. There are various superstitions regarding the custom; for example, the man has to pick off a berry, a tradition described by Charles Dickens in the Pickwick Papers for each kiss.

Another superstition from the 1930s suggested that at the end of the season, all Mistletoe be burnt, or all the couples that kissed under it would become enemies by the end of the year or never marry at all! Kissing under the Mistletoe was once a fertility rite; a girl must steal a berry, swallow it, then prick her lover's initials on a leaf and stick it to her clothes near the heart. If the leaf remained in place, her lover would remain attached.

Mistletoe has been considered an important medicine since ancient times. Hippocrates (c.460-377BC) and Dioscorides (c.50 AD) valued the plant for its medicinal properties. Pliny the Elder (77AD) mentioned that mistletoe berries had a soothing effect and could be used to treat various conditions.

In 1554, the Flemish herbalist Rembert Dodoens (Dodonaeus) wrote extensively on the medicinal impact of Mistletoe, particularly for ulcers and epilepsy. Nicholas Culpeper also attributed similar properties to Mistletoe in his Complete Herbal (1653), stating: "Both the leaves and the berries Misselto do heat and dry, and are of subtle parts; the birdlime doth molify hard knots, tumours, and imposthumes; ripens and discusses them, and draws forth thick as well as thin humours from the remote parts of the body, digesting and separating them. And being, mixed with equal parts of rozin and wax, doth molify the hardness of the spleen, and helps with ulcers and sores… some have so highly esteemed it for the virtues thereof, that they have called it Lignum Santiae Crucis, wood of the Holy Cross, believing it helps the falling sickness, apoplexy and palsy very speedily, not only by being inwardly taken, but to be hung at their neck."

In summary, Mistletoe has a fascinating history steeped in folklore, mythology, and medicinal significance. Its ties to ancient beliefs and healing properties have contributed to its enduring appeal and relevance even in contemporary times. Mistletoe continues to capture our imagination and influence traditions during the holiday season, from its enigmatic origins with the Druids to its role in mythological stories. Its historical use in medicine, reflecting the enduring acknowledgement of its potential therapeutic benefits, is a testament to its lasting relevance. So, the next time you come across this unassuming plant, consider all the magic and mysticism that has surrounded it for millennia and celebrate its wonder!

"Under the Mistletoe, pearly and green, meet the kind lips of the young and the old:

Under the mistletoe hearts may be seen

Glowing as through

they had never been cold"

Eliza Cook (1818-1889)