Mistletoe Tree Parasite – the Beautiful Herb of Wintertime

Biology, Medicine
[caption id="attachment_15887" align="alignright" width="440"] A single clump of mistletoe tree parasite.[/caption] If runners develop athlete’s foot, what do rocket scientists develop? –Mistletoe. So goes a bad joke. Most people are familiar with the use of the mistletoe tree parasite in holiday celebrations. The history behind such use is readily available online. But just what is mistletoe? How does it grow? And what is mistletoe good for? Let’s check it out. Mistletoe Tree Parasite There are many varieties of mistletoe. They grow as independent globular clusters in tree branches and some shrubs. As a result, mistletoe in trees becomes most visible in cold weather, when leaves fall.  Although the plants largely subsist on nutrients produced by the host plant, mistletoe does produce some of its own food via photosynthesis. So officially…
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