“The Druids – that is what they call their magicians – hold nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and a tree on which it is growing, provided it is Valonia Oak…. Mistletoe is rare and when found it is gathered with great ceremony, and particularly on the sixth day of the moon….Hailing the moon in a native word that means ‘healing all things,’ they prepare a ritual sacrifice and banquet beneath a tree and bring up two white bulls, whose horns are bound for the first time on this occasion. A priest arrayed in white vestments climbs the tree and, with a golden sickle, cuts down the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. Then, finally, they kill the victims, praying to a god to render his gift propitious to those on whom he has bestowed it. They believe that mistletoe given in drink will impart fertility to any animal that is barren and that it is an antidote to all poisons” QUOTE from Pliny the Elder.

Many people associate mistletoe with oak because of the stories of the ancient Druids worshipping mistletoe on oak. In reality, though, European Mistletoe (Viscum album) is very rare on oak.

Mistletoe can be found on a variety of host plants, including apple, lime, poplar, sycamore, ash, and hawthorn. However, it is rarely found on oak.

Should modern Druids try to recreate the ritual of cutting mistletoe from oak?

Where Do You Grow Mistletoe?

Mistletoe grows in the host branches of apple, hawthorn, poplar, and lime trees. The most common host tree is the apple tree. Be aware, though, that mistletoe is a parasite (and poisonous to dogs). Although it will not kill a tree, it affects a trees growth and harvest yields.

How To Obtain Mistletoe Seeds

Although Mistletoe seeds can be bought online, you can gather your own. Ripe Mistletoe berries are white in colour and are available between November and February. Keep as many white berries as possible and store them in a plastic bag with a little water in a cool, dry, frost-free place.

Cultivating Mistletoe

The best time for cultivation is in February or March. If you have stored your berries, you will need to rehydrate them by immersing overnight in a bowl of water.

• Select your host tree.
• Squeeze the berries, one at a time, so that a sticky jelly-like substance emerges containing black seeds. It is perfectly safe for this to be squeezed between fingers, but ensure that hands are washed thoroughly afterwards.
• Spread the jelly-like substance, complete with the seeds, onto the chosen branch. Do this over three or four young branches, which should be between 5 and 10cm in diameter. Choose branches away from the centre of the tree, as high in the tree as you can for maximum light, and avoid the trunk.
• Leave to germinate, which should happen in March or April. Some will be eaten by birds, but hopefully, enough will have been planted to ensure success.
• Once germination has occurred, growth will be slow, and it takes up to 3 years before the plant develops leaves. From year 4, growth accelerates and branches will develop, and finally, in year 5, berries should start appearing.

As growth increases, from year 5 onwards, it is important to regularly prune the Mistletoe branches. This will help the host tree to stay healthy as it will prevent the Mistletoe from dominating the tree. If the Mistletoe grows too big, the host tree will have less foliage of its own. This can be done in annual ritual.

As you can see, unless you discover a tree with an existing growth of Mistletoe, cultivating it is no short-term project and needs careful consideration before attempting growth.

As for growing it on oak, Mistletoe sends out thread-like strands into branches, tapping the tree’s nutrients and water to survive. A healthy oak can survive with one or two mistletoe growths, but the long-term burden of supporting this parasite depletes the nutrients and water in the soil faster than the tree would by itself.

We know with hindsight that Mistletoe is poisonous and that to recreate the ritual in full, would require the sacrifice of 2 bulls. So, considering the practicality (and legality) of such a ritual today, it is something I won’t be endorsing in my own Nemeton.

As a Druid, I am a philosopher of nature, but I also consider the environment. If you stumble across a naturally occuring oak tree with Mistletoe growing, that is well and good, but to cultivate it yourself could be giving the tree a slow death sentence.