Evergreens

Many plants with evergreen leaves are now standing proud in the woodlands. Several of them, like holly and ivy, have become traditional plants associated with Christmas. Their bright bold foliage was brought into homes to form part of the Christmas decorations long before modern technologies provided us with lights and dazzling coloured tinsels.

The yew tree on the other hand is also an evergreen and has attractive berries at this time of year; however, it is rarely bought into the house as a decoration.

I'm not sure why this is, though perhaps it is due to the poisonous nature of both the berries and leafy fronds.

Another evergreen which can be seen more clearly at this time of year isn't a tree, but a parasitic plant which grows up in the branches of hardwood trees - mistletoe.

Until recent times, mistletoe was also left out of Christmas decorations. Religious beliefs as recently as the 60s have considered mistletoe to have too many connections to druid-like practices.

In bygone days, some people believed mistletoe was bestowed with magical powers. It was associated with the divining of treasure and apparently had the power to keep witches at bay.

The wearer of a sprig would be invincible to wounds suffered in battles and it was also worn as a charm to ensure a good harvest and as a cure for a variety of ailments.

Another superstition linked to mistletoe was that it was thought to be a powerful fertility aid and an aphrodisiac.

This is perhaps why, in more recent years, it has been connected with the modern day custom of kissing underneath it.

In England, mistletoe is at the very edge of its range and hence is a scarcely seen plant.

However, the sheltered conditions found around the Severn Valley means there is more to be found in this area than in many other locations in the UK. The mistletoe bought in shops is mainly imported from the lowlands of France, where it is quite a common plant and often commercially grown.