but why do I see trees with no mistletoe next to trees that have been so thoroughly invaded by this parasitic plant that they almost look like evergreens? Susan Shackelford Louisville, Kentucky ...

And why are people so amorous when they find themselves beneath it? Mistletoe, a parasitic plant, is actually accustomed to the suspension: In nature, it grows only on other trees’ branches.

Different dodders prefer different host plants. Hosts include alfalfa, asparagus, bindweed, pigweed, lambsquarters, Russian ...