Mistletoes are a motley group of plants defined more by their lifestyle than their lineage. They all have three features in ...

But, botanically speaking, that’s what mistletoe is. There are some 1,300 species of this evergreen plant worldwide. They’re ...

For most people, mistletoe conjures images of wintry Christmas kissing traditions rather than the rich Australian landscape. In Australia, mistletoe varieties have often been overlooked or treated ...

Mistletoe is such a plant. But set aside the kissing custom and you’ll find a hundred and one reasons to appreciate the berry-bearing parasite for its very own sake. David Watson certainly does.

Parasites that cannot survive without a host are known as obligate, while facultative parasites can live and reproduce without a host plant. While mistletoe may be commonly associated with Christmas ...

Indeed the spherical puffs do seem to more closely resemble mistletoe growth. It turns out the festive plant is actually a parasite, which The Tree Council says “grows in green clumps on various ...