Viscum album aka Mistletoe

Viscum album, commonly known as European mistletoe or common mistletoe, is a woody, evergreen shrub native to Europe and western and southern Asia. It belongs to the family Santalaceae and is a partial parasite, drawing water and nutrients from its host trees while carrying out its own photosynthesis. With yellowy-green leaves held in pairs on branching stems, Viscum album produces tiny yellowish flowers in spring, followed by round, white berries on female plants. In European mythology, legends, and customs, mistletoe plays a significant role. It is also a popular feature in Christmas decorations and symbology. While it is rare in Scotland and Ireland, mistletoe is native to the UK, particularly central and southern England, where it is commonly found growing on apple trees. The plant is dispersed by birds such as thrushes and blackcaps, with the latter wiping its beak clean on a branch, allowing the seed to pass through its digestive system and germinate. It is possible to grow mistletoe indoors on a small tree or outdoors on a nurse plant. In Great Britain and much of Europe, Viscum album is the only native species, although Viscum cruciatum is native to Southwest Spain, Southern Portugal, and Morocco. Overall, mistletoe is an integral part of winter holidays, adding to the seasonal decor and inspiring the tradition of kissing beneath its branches.