Mistletoe

Mistletoe, any of many species of evergreen parasitic plants of the family Loranthaceae with small, inconspicuous flowers. In Europe the common mistletoe (Viscum album) grows on apples, poplar, willow, linden, and hawthorns, while common U.S. mistletoes (Phoradendron flavescens, for example) occur on most deciduous trees and some conifers. Mistletoes derive some of their nutrients from the host plants, but they also produce some by photosynthesis. Their seeds are spread by fruit-eating birds.