Mistletoe

parasites · plants · unusual

Grows on trees. Mistletoe doesn't grow in soil like normal plants. Instead, it attaches itself to branches of other trees and shrubs, making its home high up in the air.

Special sucking roots. Mistletoe uses a special root called a haustorium that works like a straw, pulling water and nutrients right out of its host tree. The host tree feeds the mistletoe without knowing it.

Lives everywhere warm. Most mistletoe species grow in tropical regions around the world, where trees are thick and forests are steamy and green.

Holiday decoration. In many cultures, mistletoe is hung up as a Christmas decoration, and people have a tradition of kissing under it. But the plant itself has been doing its thing on trees for thousands of years.

Bird-friendly berries. Mistletoe makes sticky white berries that birds love to eat, and when the birds poop them out on other trees, that's how mistletoe spreads to new homes.