to hibernate beneath and of course dont light a bonfire until you have. Ivy is a wonderful plant for wildlife. As we head into winter, the berries (which appear from November onwards) provide an important food source for birds such as redwings, robins, blackcaps, collared doves and many more species. The shortest day of the year is here, the tawny owls already hooting in the. Ivy only uses its host for support. The fine aerial roots, which people often assume are taking nutrients from trees, are actually anchors and only penetrate the bark. Where this happens, the ivy takes advantage of the situation, increasing its own canopy. Likewise, if the masonry is already weathered or soft through lack of maintenance, ivy can speed the deterioration of walls and can become to heavy for some wooden fences to support. However, when a tree appears to be being taken over by ivy is often a symptom of something else happening within the tree, such as disease or rot. Some mistake ivy for a parasitic plant - responsible for strangling the life from trees and tearing apart the fabric of buildings and walls. Ivy has had a long-standing association with winter celebrations throughout history, like holly, a splash of evergreen colour in a landscape that may appear otherwise lifeless.
Taking advantage of bird species such as mistle thrush, blackcap, redwing and fieldfare who are tempted by the winter feast, the seeds are dispersed when they attempt wipe (or kiss) the sticky remnants of the berries of their beaks or through gooey droppings once the meal has been processed. Mistletoe berries are incredibly sticky, an evolutionary trick to aide germination, enabling its seeds to cling to branches and boughs. Owls, however, have no need to hibernate. Contrary to popular belief, mistletoe will not kill its host tree, but can weaken the branches it sits on.
A splash of green that appeared to float in lifeless winter trees, it’s easy to see how people once thought mistletoe was magical, yet the true story of this mysterious plant is far more enchanting.Īn evergreen semi-parasitic plant, mistletoe takes nutrients and sugars from its host tree through adapted roots - it especially likes apple, lime, ash and hawthorn trees - as well as what it can get through photosynthesis. Mistletoe has a long-standing festive connection, from pagan times when it was believed to sacred, often connected to love and fertility – hence the link to Christmas kisses.
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