The Magick of Mistletoe

Mistletoe

What is it?

Mistletoe, Viscum album or Phoradendron serotinum, is part of the Loranthacae family and is a tree-born shrub.  Propagated by birds, the mistletoe roots under the tree bark and derives its nutrition from the “host” tree. Mistletoe takes on qualities of the tree it is on, so varieties of medicinal uses are based on the specific tree that it is harvested from. For instance, in Chinese medicines, the mistletoe preferred would be harvested from a mulberry tree. This is what earns it the parasitic label. Mistletoe is evergreen and often referred to as the Druid’s Herb.

Where is it Found?

Viscum album is the name given to the European mistletoe found across Europe, far-reaching into China and throughout the Mediterranean region. Phoradendron serotinum is the North American mistletoe whose name is derived from the Greek phor and dendron literally meaning “tree thief”. It rarely is seen thriving on evergreens, with the exception of junipers in the Western US states. Mistletoe is found in the wild and gathered in from the branches of the host trees.

How is it Used?

Gathered mistletoe has been used for medicinal purposes in many references, but because of the toxicity, this is not recommended or encouraged if not conducted by a medical professional. It is commonly regarded to lower blood pressure and has been used in the treatment of cancer. Carried, mistletoe is a good luck charm helping with success in all your endeavors.

Mistletoe is typical to celebrating Yule but can be hung through Candlemas / Imbolc and then ceremoniously burned in the fire. Mistletoe berries when dried are a perfect fire offering and can be used in fire celebrations, often to increase energy for blessings, renewal or rebirth, or protection for the self and the home.

Mistletoe is known for its magickal purposes, specifically to ward off evil and keep enemies at bay. It can be used to protect the house and home from fire, lightning, sickness, as well as keep the children safe from being taken by the fae.

Mistletoe is also associated with love and can be a useful ingredient that works to protect love from jinxes or curses.  Hang a bundle of mistletoe in your home to promote fertility, or to elicit a kiss from a loved one ensuring a long-lasting loving relationship.

Folklore

Mistletoe’s presence in a tree is thought to be a mark of a deity being nearby. So, obtaining a piece of mistletoe became part of a ritual that was designed to honor the deity, and the natural energies of the seasons or the moon- optimal timing being cut on Midsummer’s Eve or when the moon is six days old. It was considered bad luck, or a bad omen if mistletoe matured and dropped to the ground. Several resources ascribe specific manners of gathering mistletoe and seem to follow cycles of the moon. 

In a popular legend, the Norse god, Loki cuts a branch from a mistletoe plant/tree and uses it as a dart to kill Balder once Frigg is tricked into revealing as the only plant that had yet to promise to never harm him. Once Balder’s life was restored, mistletoe was kept by the goddess of Love and was no longer regarded as a destructive element of hate.  Having been transformed, it would evermore be a symbol of love to anyone who passed beneath it.