GURL, Ms. Mistletoe took me by surprise! Was not expecting to learn that she was a hemiparasitic, meaning she can live either as a parasite or as a perennial plant capable of photosynthesis 😱 Growing up the mistletoe was just a dried up plant that adults used as an excuse to get a smooch during the holiday season ... this read was quite an informative one for this kween And obvi had to dive into the history of the mistletoe and this is where my research led me 🌿🤓🧑🏽‍💻📚 The plant’s romantic overtones most likely started with the Celtic Druids of the 1st century A.D. Because mistletoe could blossom even during the frozen winter (cuz of their parasitic nature, gurl) the Druids came to view it as a sacred symbol of vivacity, and they administered it to humans and animals alike in the hope of restoring fertility 🤔 Side note: did you know that mistletoe extract has been used for hundreds of years to treat medical conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, hypertension, headaches, menopausal symptoms, infertility, dermatitis, arthritis, and rheumatism. These mistletoe extracts are also one of the most widely studied complementary and alternative medicine therapies for cancer according to @nihgov The origins of mistletoe meaning appear to come from a story in Norse mythology and it goes like this: The plant was sacred to Frigga, the goddess of love, but Loki, commonly known as the god of mischief, shot Frigga’s son with a spear or, in some tellings, an arrow carved from mistletoe. Frigga revived her son under the mistletoe tree and decreed that anyone who stands under the mistletoe tree deserves not only protection from death, but also a kiss If you ever decide to be an adventurous gardener and grow mistletoe, please know that all parts of the plant are toxic (that’s berries, stem and leaves). This green gurl contains Phoratoxin and Viscotoxin, which are both extremely toxic proteins when ingested, so keep away from children and your furry lil friends #mistletoe #readthatgreengurl #holigays