Silly season definitely here now. The Daily Mail is reporting a bumper crop of mistletoe because of a resurgence of interest in cider-drinking – specifically Bulmers and Magners. Their tenuous link is that cider is made from apples, and most mistletoe grows on apple trees. Both true statements of course. But, er, no, there’s no cause and effect here.
Mistletoe grows in profusion in old neglected, mature apple orchards. Bulmers and Magners harvest from managed, often new, often ‘bush’ orchards. No mistletoe there, sorry.
And even if there has been a new apple tree planting to fuel the cider demand (as reported by the Mail) the lead time from mistletoe establishment to a crop is at least 6-10 years, and that’s AFTER the host-tree is semi-mature, so if there is, ever, a link here, the ‘new’ mistletoe won’t be available to harvest until at least 15 years AFTER the cider boom.
But why let facts get in the way of a story – this is the Daily Mail after all…
More on the real issues behind the mistletoe harvest available here soon!