Famous for its part in Christmas celebrations, Mistletoe has also long been esteemed as a powerfully healing herb, so much so that the word "Mistletoe" is derived from the the Celtic "all heal". If you want to tap into the power of this ancient herb, Indigo Herbs offers two Mistletoe products; Mistletoe Leaf Tea and Mistletoe Tincture. A significant plant in Greek, Roman, Norse and Druidic folklore; these mythologies have grown and travelled fast in the past just as the plant does today in nature. Join Indigo Herbs in opening up the mysteries of these ancient cultures with these two great mistletoe products.

The most common mythology connected with Mistletoe comes from the Norse legend of Baldr. The story tells of the goddess Frigga, the goddess of love/beauty and Baldr’s mother, travelling through the three worlds securing promises from all beings not to ever hurt or kill her son. When she came to Mistletoe, she thought the plant too young to secure a promise from it. The trickster Loki, seeing this quickly fashioned an arrow from mistletoe and gave it to Baldr’s blind brother Höðr. Loki helped Höðr aim the arrow which struck Baldr who died immediately. In some versions of the story the white mistletoe berries form from the tears of joy from Baldr’s mother when Baldr is restored to life. Frigga then blesses mistletoe with the promise that whoever passes under the plant will receive a kiss from her.

This very interesting parasitic plant can grow on up to 200 different species of tree, carried by species of birds who love the berries. Depending on the tree and environment the tree host can quickly be overrun by mistletoe and die. There are many cases though of trees living with mistletoe in a symbiotic relationship. A bird who’s carrying the seed deposits it either from wiping its beak on a branch, defecating or through regurgitation for its young. The seed has a very special sticky and viscous membrane surrounding it that keeps the seed stuck to the tree and allows the seed to germinate. According to Druidic lore, the best mistletoe plants are those that grow on oak trees.