The Mistletoe
By: Erin Helbig
Adapted From: An Unlikely Parasite: The Mistletoe
An Unlikely Parasite: The Mistletoe. ReadWorks.org. Retrieved from https://www.readworks.org/article/An-Unlikely-Parasite-The-Mistletoe/fffb9c74-a227-4e72-99e0-a63099e454a5#!articleTab:content/
During the holidays, many people hang mistletoe over doorways. It is a popular Christmas tradition. But don’t let the image of a cheery evergreen plant used during the happy times of the holidays fool you. In the forests where they’re from, mistletoe can do some real damage.
Mistletoe are surprisingly poisonous plants and have white berries and small, yellow flowers. They also live on other plants, taking their water and nutrients . For this reason, mistletoe are considered parasites.
The roots of the mistletoe grow directly into the tissues of the plant they’ve taken over. That’s how mistletoe take nutrients and water away from the host plant. Mistletoe can be hard to remove once it infects a plant. The best way to fight off the infestation is to cut off the infected branch completely.
If the mistletoe takes over more parts of a plant, it can start to weaken the plant and make it harder for it to grow. As mistletoe grow in the trees, they become a thick mix of branches and stems. This big mass is sometimes called a “witch’s broom", as it has the same texture and color as one.
While mistletoe can be deadly, parasitic, and invading to other plants, they are still elegant and beautiful. The next time you see a mistletoe hanging above a doorway, you'll know that this pretty plant has a dangerous secret.