The mistletoe has something mysterious about it. This applies to both their appearance and mythology. It hangs like an oversized bird's nest in the treetops and was cut by druids on a full moon night with a golden sickle.
Are mistletoe berries poisonous or edible?
Mistletoe berries are not poisonous, but are still not suitable for consumption. They are usually white, about 1 cm in diameter and contain indigestible seeds and sticky pulp. Birds such as the mistle thrush or the waxwing eat the berries and thus contribute to the reproduction and spread of mistletoe.
Are mistletoe berries poisonous?
In contrast to the other parts of the plant, the mistletoe berries are not considered poisonous. However, they are not suitable for consumption. The fruits, which are approximately one centimeter in size, ripen in Advent. In the species most widespread in Central Europe, the hardwood mistletoe, these berries are white.
Why are the berries so sticky?
As a semi-parasite, mistletoe grows on trees without killing them. However, because they draw water and nutrients from the tree, the host trees grow more slowly than those without mistletoe. These shrub-like plants have to grow on the trees somehow; birds that eat the berries are usually responsible for this. They ensure the reproduction and spread of mistletoe.
The mistletoe berries contain indigestible seeds that are covered in sticky, tough pulp. After the seeds leave the birds' digestive tract, they remain stuck in the branches of the host tree and germinate there. Some birds only eat the outside of the berries and “stick” the seeds to a branch by cleaning their beaks.
Which birds eat mistletoe berries?
The mistle thrush gets its name because it eats these mistletoe berries. But it is not the only “spreader bird”. The waxwing, which occasionally visits in winter, also likes these unusual fruits. The inconspicuous blackcap, on the other hand, only eats the outer part of the berries and spurns the seeds.
The most important things in brief:
- Berries not poisonous, but not suitable for consumption
- are eaten by some birds
- contain indigestible seeds and sticky pulp
- are mostly white
- Diameter approx. 1 cm
Tip
The berries easily get stuck in the throat when eaten, which can be very unpleasant. Therefore, be careful that small children do not put them in their mouths.
