Travels with Forty Roses: Reaching for Mistletoe

Les Lumières de Noël will be lit 6th December, or so we understand. There has been a great deal of work going on, installing the lights in the old town. We are looking forward to the spectacle, as last year when we were living in Lille for Christmas, it was a wondrous sight. Each little winding street seemed to have different overhead light combinations and Auxerre appears to be no different. Thus, our minds have turned to this happy season and we struck out one day to gather hedgerow “stuff”. In my walks this fall, north toward Gergy, I could see many huge balls of mistletoe hanging at great heights from certain trees. My mission on each walk was to locate mistletoe that was reachable without climbing or a ladder. This was a difficult task as it seems that mistletoe only grows at great heights.

The name mistletoe originally referred to the species Viscum album (European mistletoe, of the family Santalaceae in the order Santalales); it is the only species native to Great Britain and much of Europe. European mistletoe has smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaves borne in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy, white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six. The Eastern mistletoe of North America is similar, but has shorter, broader leaves and longer clusters of 10 or more berries. And both varieties are poisonous, so no leaving it for little people or cats or dogs to eat.

Until we cut some from a host tree I did not realize that it appears to be a bright green branch growing directly out of the host tree. When a seed is dropped on the bark of a host tree it sticks as the seeds are very viscous and birds wipe them from their bills or deposit from droppings. As soon as the seed lands it begins its parasitic work and drops a tiny root into the bark eventually meeting the host trees nutrient system. Usually once the plant is firmly connected to the host it relies totally on the host for all nutrients and does not photosynthesize itself.

Large infestations of mistletoe attract birds and animals who can eat the berries or pollinize the flowers and have a positive impact on biodiversity. Hefty clumps of the so called “witches brooms” are shelter and home to numerous bird species.

So, we risked a dunk into the canal by cutting mistletoe from a large clump that I found growing well out over the water but at a low level. My trusty Mistletoe Thief who has a longer reach patiently joined in the venture, and threw a line to pull the branches toward the bank so I could cut. It was close but we did not catapult into the canal. We now have a large wintry bouquet sitting on deck. Along with Norwegian spruce branches with cones and rose hips it will look rather nice once my Christmas lights are on.

And, in tune with the season we attended a Concert de Trompes in the Cathedral…it was not what we expected but worth it. These were hunting trumpets and the “music” was the chase calls for woods and forest and fields during the hunt. There are no stops on these horns so it's all a matter of skill with about 5 notes. From the 6^th century and passed down via these trumpet clubs…I love it. . .shades of Martin Walkers “Bruno books”. And they would need a hot meal post-concert because the Cathedral was colder than a tomb.