There's been a mystique around mistletoe since ancient times, probably on account of the curious way it grows. The plant is a “hemiparasite,” meaning that it can either grow in soil, or, more...
The original mistletoe, Viscum album, (different from the ornamental North American version) got its name from the Anglo-Saxon word “mistel” for “dung” and “tan” for “twig.” Dung-on-a twig really...