Mistletoe detail.
Close-up of a small bunch of mistletoe, Viscum album, on the branch of an old apple tree. Mistletoe is a hemiparasite (partial parasite) that grows on the branches of trees, especially poplar, oak and apple trees. Its roots penetrate the tree and take up nutrients. But, unlike full parasites, mistletoe contains chlorophyll and is capable of producing its own food by photosynthesis. Therefore it can also grow on its own. This is the European mistletoe, Viscum album, which is a different species from the North American Mistletoe, Phoradendron flavescens. Mistletoe has been regarded as a mystical plant by many different cultures and there are many folktales and customs associated with it. Druid priests employed it in their sacrifices to the gods, and Loki the Norse god of evil made an arrow of it to kill Balder the god of summer. In the Celtic language mistletoe means 'all heal' and the Celts considered that it possessed miraculous healing powers. Not only could it cure diseases but it also rendered poisons harmless, made humans and animals prolific, kept one safe from witchcraft and protected the house from ghosts. With all of this, mistletoe was considered to bring good luck to anyone who held it.
Size: 5328px × 3543px
Photo credit: © Alistair Scott / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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