MISTLETOE

Chapter 74

In the olden days, mistletoe was used to treat cardiovascular issues. Crude mistletoe fruit or herb was used to make tea to treat hypertension at a dosage of 10 gram per day. In Europe, it was used to treat epilepsy, infertility, hypertension, and arthritis. The Druids revered the oak tree and the mistletoe that grew upon it, according to Pliny the Elder. At the winter celebration of Samhain, the sacred oak were bare except for the green boughs of mistletoe, a sign of eternal fertility. The Celts placed a sprig of mistletoe above the door of their houses, as a sacred nature that prohibited fighting beneath it.. Avoid using if pregnant or lactating. Adverse reactions can include itchiness, inflammation, mild fever, or flu-like symptoms and anaphylaxis. The entire plant is toxic, especially the berries. That is why it can only be taken in small doses. Mistletoe is a Hemiparasitic plant, meaning that it grows on a wide variety of host trees, such as pine, birch, apple, and oak. Hemiparasitic also means that the mistletoe plant carries out photosynthesis independently but obtains its water and minerals from the host. They are pollinated by insects and can have white or red berries. To grow mistletoe, the seed extends a green hypocotyl, which bends towards the host surface, flattens to a sucker-shaped hold-fast. Once the hold-fast is established, the parasitic phase begins, as the seedlings begins to penetrate the host tissue, stimulating its growth. It grows very slowly for the first four years, but once it is established, it grows very fast. You have to squeeze mistletoe berries in order to extract the seed for growing. You should choose your host based on the likes of the mistletoe. Their preferences are as follows - apple, poplars, limes, false acacia, and hawthorn. Most shrubs and trees of the Rosaceae are suitable. When you sow the seeds, pick young branches from two to six centimeters in diameter. Don't forget the label the branches that you used. It's very easy to forget. Plant as many as 20 berries at once, divided between four or so branches. Mistletoe is dioecious, meaning it is either male or female. So you'll need at least two plants and several berries from each. Within three months, Mistletoe seedlings on an apple tree will be germinating. In year two, the surviving seedlings may become more erect but you won't see much growth. In year three, you see some leaves, though they may be tiny. After the third year, the plant will start to grow more rapidly. Each branch bifurcates at least once a year, meaning the number of branches double. Berries can be kept fresh by detaching them and leaving them in a shed until mid-February. They need to be kept in the light. However, it is far better to obtain fresh berries in February. Berries can last on the host tree up to April. In February, if the berries have been stored, re-hydrate them for a few hours in a little water. Mistletoe will stay fresh up to a week in temperatures between 35-48 F. Again, remember Friomente. Mistletoe is used in the Antidote to Common Poisons and the Forgetfulness Potion.