Mistletoe

I know mistletoe is associated with Christmas but this is actually the best time of year to try and grow some because the berries should now be ripe.
This young plant has taken two years to get to this stage.

Mistletoe is especially interesting botanically because it is a partial parasite (a "hemiparasite"). As a parasitic plant, it grows on the branches or trunk of a tree and actually sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up nutrients.

There are many myths and Legends that surround this magical plant, one of my favourite myths says that mistletoe should be cut with a gold sickle and it will lose its power if it touches the ground!