New species of the plants are still being discovered, and their parasitic biology is being probed for potential cancer ...

A parasitic plant with potentially poisonous berries might not sound like something that would boost your Christmas decorations to the next level. But, botanically speaking, that’s what mistletoe is.

The etymology of mistletoe — a plant with small, oval evergreen leaves and waxy white berries — may strike some as repugnant.

Mistletoe has some unique characteristics and history that go way beyond smooching under the sprigs during the holidays. For centuries, mistletoe has been hung in doorways all around the world to ...

Mistletoe is the Christmas tradition people are showing no signs of kissing goodbye to, but while the plant is curiously synonymous with this most magical time of the year, very few people likely know ...

For many people, mistletoe is a pest, while for others, it is a symbol of Christmas cheer. The origin of mistletoe as a Yuletide symbol came from the Norse and the Druids. Both had traditions that ...

Atlas Obscura on Slate is a blog about the world’s hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. The mistletoe plant is largely known for a manufactured characteristic: It’s the green ...

If you want to brighten up a doorway with a little Christmas cheer, you can’t go wrong with a sprig of mistletoe. With more than 1,000 species around the world, mistletoe is generally easy to find and ...

Pucker up, it’s time to hang your mistletoe! One of my favorite tales about mistletoe comes from Norse mythology, which started with ...

The custom of kissing under mistletoe, which dates to the 18th century, was seen as a way to spread love during the Christmas ...

When Thanksgiving is over and the holiday music starts to play on the radio, it’s time to haul out the seasonal decorations. The winter holiday season typically involves several types of decorative ...