2006-12-23 10:33:57 · 14 answers · asked by cora m 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
Mistletoe is the lighter, olive-green plant with rounded, slightly thick leaves and small white berries. Both the leaves and the berries (but especially the berries) are toxic. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on other trees, especially oaks in northern Europe and North America. It is an evergreen, though, which is why it is associated with winter holidays; in pre-Roman times, it was a fertility symbol, which is why we still kiss under the mistletoe today.
Holly is an evergreen shrub or small tree, with very dark green leaves that have a number of sharp spines around the edge. Holly also has bright red berries that ripen in winter. As with mistletoe, holly symbolizes the persistence of (or even the rebirth of) life through winter, and again, since before the Romans arrived in northern Europe, holly has been associated with winter holidays.
I've included links (in the Sources field) to Web sites about mistletoe and holly, with pictures.
2006-12-23 10:44:55 · answer #1 · answered by Scott F 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They are two completely different plants. Holly grows on the ground, Mistletoe on trees, Holly has red balls, Mistletoe white.
2006-12-23 10:35:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Holly is red, mistletoe is white, and the leaves are different shapes. Also, if you stand under a sprig of holly with someone., it won't have the same effect as mistletoe.
2006-12-23 10:37:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
mistletoe and holly are two different things
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that infests other plants. It "roots" into branches of the host and draws nutrients from it. In the west, there are different species of mistletoe that infest specific species of tree.
holly
Available in both evergreen and deciduous species, holly is grown for its toothed glossy green leaves and its showy berries, which are red in most popular varieties, but can also be a showy yellow. Holly can range from under one foot to over 80, and is found in both temperate and tropical regions. Both male and female plants are needed for fruiting.
2006-12-23 10:37:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Holly is an evergreen shrub and mistletoe is a semiparasitic plant that grows on some types of trees.
2006-12-23 10:44:35 · answer #5 · answered by Laurie L, D-M 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Holly is a prickly bush with red berries. Mistletoe is a parasitic plant usually found in the tops of oak trees. It has no prickles but has poisonous white berries.
2006-12-23 10:37:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows in the treetops - people usually shoot it down (not as easy as it sounds). Holly is a shrub that has pretty little red berries around Christmastime.
2016-05-23 02:38:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Holly has red berries and mistletoe has white. Both berries are poisonous.
2006-12-23 11:37:04 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mistletoe was the blond stripper and Holly is the brunette.
2006-12-23 10:35:04 · answer #9 · answered by Timf4515 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
holly bears berries and mistletoe doesnt
2006-12-23 10:35:47 · answer #10 · answered by oddball_0123 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋