Here at Mistletoe Matters HQ, there’s not been a lot of tweeting.  Haven’t ever quite got the point of it.  But, as there’s been a sudden surge in blog viewing data today, I thought perhaps I should check whether it might be due to some twitter trending that was happening behind the scenes. So, I dusted down my little used twitter account @Viscumalbum and had a quick look for #mistletoe – and, as expected, found […]

First Tenbury mistletoe auction of the season – attended, as anticipated, by Worcestershire’s Green Santa (click here for some of his activities last year).   Lots of opportunities for photos, especially his ‘crowning’ with a mistletoe garland by auctioneer Nick Champion. But what was that grumbling I heard about ‘green colour’ amongst some buyers? Surely they hadn’t taken against Santa?  No, Santa was fine, and could go on his way (to another engagement near Bromsgrove) happy. The […]

First mistletoe auction of 2011 is next week – Tuesday 29th, 10.00am at the Business Park in Tenbury Wells. And, for the first time ever, Santa will be there! Not your usual Santa either – this one is green, not red! This is not because of the mistletoe (well, actually, it is a little) but is intended to reflect the older tradition of a Father Christmas in green, considered by many to be the ‘proper’ […]

The best mistletoe is the highest – or at least that’s what it usually looks like. Have been out and about in some of the derelict/abandoned/neglected orchards of the Severn Vale around Gloucester this week.  Loads of mistletoe on these old apple trees – too much on many of them.  And the reachable clumps?  They always seem a little yellowy (or ‘golden’ as we mistletoe aficionados like to say), and rather less marketable than the higher […]

Well, a few days ago I mentioned it was another mistletoe bling year – with loads of berries on the mistletoe. And mentioned that the media always want to know why is it a good year? And pointed out that the answer lies back at least 9 months ago when the flowers were pollinated, possibly further back, when the flower buds formed 18 months ago. So, what have the Telegraph and the Mail said today? Well, they’ve said it’s […]

Where do you get your mistletoe?  It seems a simple question, and it was asked here last year (for the 2010 survey). It’s not really a simple question of course. Recent posts here have highlighted the issue of imports, and not knowing where they’re from (or even if they’re imports!) and there are difficulties in determining local provenance too.  So do you know where yours comes from? Some people seem very sure, despite making unlikely claims.  In the […]

Loadsa berries on the mistletoe again this season.  Which make it about the 4th year in a row for a mega-berry crop.  The Christmas media will love this – the headlines about Berried Treasure (geddit?) will be almost inevitable. As will the questions about why. Always, every year, reporters  want to know why the berry crop is good (or bad, in some years).  They want to blame a lack of birds, too many birds, a hot […]

The December issues of the monthlies are out this week – a moment that always makes me a little nervous as my mistletoe work – conservation, management, research and marketing – is usually featured in one or two of them.  And I’m never quite sure what’s being said and how it’s being presented – until I see it. First to make an impression this season is Country Living – a nicely worded one page piece […]

The last Mistletoe Diary entry discussed some online mistletoe traders in the UK, but what about mistletoe traders from over the channel?   Is that trade good, bad, stable or changing? Should we Brits (especially those promoting British-grown mistletoe) be worried about it? Every season there’s always a hint of paranoia over here about this.  French Mistletoe Imports On The Rise scream the tabloids.  Often followed by stories claiming French Mistletoe has fewer berries, or yellower leaves, […]