FROM early Christian times, the mistletoe has been regarded a dangerous plant with pagan overtones.

In Norse mythology the cunning Loki killed Balder the Good by giving him a huge and lethal dose of mistletoe.

Frazer in the Golden Bough called mistletoe the sacred heart of the oak, and had a different interpretation of this story. The oak was an antidote to mistletoe.

In small doses mistletoe was said to be an aphrodisiac and was included in all love potions. This is still the origin of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas.

Although it contains poisonous substances, extracts of mistletoe have been used to treat epilepsy and in the treatment of animals during and following birth.

The mistle thrush is one of the few creatures to feed on the white berries of mistletoe.

The flesh is very sticky and the bird has to scrape off the excess glue-like material by wiping its bill on the branch.

Mistletoe is a partial parasite which grows on the branches of tress, especially apple, pear, maple and hawthorn.