You know it’s Yule season when you see the mistletoe.

Actually, it’s evergreen, so you can see it all year if you want to; we just go looking for it around the winter solstice.

Phoradendron leucarpum (aka Phoradendron serotinum) is the common American mistletoe, one of 1300 species of mistletoe worldwide. It’s poisonous, and like many poisonous plants, had traditional medicinal uses. Nowadays it’s mainly noted as a forestry pest because it’s a parasite that takes resources from its host tree, although it is being studied for various pharmacological uses.

And a certain well-known friendly use.

It ranges from New Mexico to New York by way of Florida. And Georgia. Curiously, the USDA Plants Profile shows none in Lowndes County, Georgia.

Pictures by Gretchen Quarterman, 13 Dec 2009, Lowndes County, Georgia.