Mistletoe

Mistletoe, from the sandalwood family, lives as a semi-parasite on trees, growing between the branches to form spherical clusters up to 1 m in diameter and extracting water and nutrient salts from them. The energy-rich organic compounds are produced by the mistletoe through its own, year-round green leaves by means of photosynthesis. The fruits of mistletoe, pseudo-berries with sticky flesh, are spread by birds. Flowering time: June to September.

Depending on the host tree, a distinction is made between hardwood mistletoe (maple, lime, walnut, poplar, robinia, apple tree), fir mistletoe and pine mistletoe.

The dried herb, twigs with leaves and flowers, but also a few fruits (mistletoe herb - Visci herba) are used phytotherapeutically.

1. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 160-161
2. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/mistel.php
3. https://www.awl.ch/heilpflanzen/viscum_album/mistel.htm