Christmas kiss, sick trees: what is the connection?

The Christmas mistletoe is one of the most romantic plant symbols of the festive season, promising kisses and luck. However, in nature, it shows a completely different side. The Christmas mistletoe living in the tree canopy is a hemiparasitic plant that constantly burdens its host plants. This contradiction makes it truly exciting and professionally noteworthy. The plant known as Christmas mistletoe is mostly the white mistletoe, or Viscum album. It clings to the branches of deciduous trees, where it photosynthesizes through its own green shoots, while it obtains water and minerals from the host plant. It often appears on apple trees, species of maple and ash, as well as oaks. It develops slowly, but year after year it represents an increasing burden on the affected branch. The Christmas mistletoe is truly a spectacular sight in winter. When the bright green bush and white berry appear among the bare branches of deciduous trees, it is almost impossible not to notice. This ...