Missile Toe

Frigga, the Norse goddess of Love, Beauty and Marriage, who also weaved the clouds and made rain and thunderstorms, had a son named Baldur, a most beloved god. He was one day killed by an arrow through his heart made from this poisionous parasite. His mother wept tears that became the white flowers of mistletoe. Frigga brought her son back to life and reversed the ominous reputation of mistletoe. Not wanting others to suffer, she ordered that instead of death, the plant bring love and peace. And throughout time, if enemies happened to meet under a tree whereupon a mistletoe hung, they would have to lay down their arms and declare a truce until the following day.

-In winter, while all the leaves of the sacred Oak had fallen away, the mistletoe remained green; it was thought to contain the life of the tree.

-Mistletoe is considered parasitic because it sends a very different root system, called haustoria, down to the roots of its host and exracts nutrients

-Mistletow actually means 'dung on a twig' (Anglo-Saxon: mistle= dung, tan= twig) for it was usually seen growing where birds had left droppings! Later, botanists discovered that mistletoe grew from seeds passed from birds' digestive tract.

-Druids considered mistletoe sacred for its medicinal qualities and was used during fertility rites

-In modern times, mistletoe is being studied as to if it could be used to cure cancer

-BE SURE TO KEEP MISTLETOE AWAY FROM YOUR PETS; IT MAY BE POISONOUS TO THEM-