This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage is a special episode featuring songs that represent the four seasons of the year. You'll hear live performances by Doc Watson, Bruce Hornsby, Susan Werner, Molly Tuttle, Taj Mahal, Norah Jones and many more.
Mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) is found in all 55 counties in West Virginia. It grows high in the branches of hardwood trees and is considered semi-parasitic.
Sometimes called kiss and go, it pushes its root-like structures called haustoria into tree branches, where it takes water and nutrients from the host tree. It spreads to other tree tops by birds eating its white berries.
Sounds like a freeloader, right? But some studies suggest that by attracting more berry-eating birds, other berry-producing plants nearby benefit as well, thus promoting higher diversities of berry-eating animals and creating a much more diverse ecosystem overall.
Because it grows so high in trees, harvesting it can be tricky. Some folks shoot it out of the tree and try to catch it. With a wholesale market price of $10 per pound, a clump could bring in as much as $500.
All parts of the plant are toxic when ingested. While the bulk of poison cases are children, no fatalities have been reported.That’s probably one of the reasons why we hang it high and out of reach when used as Christmas decor.
Mistletoe has a wealth of cultural references throughout history and across the world. Of course the one we all know and love is the tradition of meeting someone under the mistletoe and stealing a kiss.
But, per old Appalachian folklore, if you put mistletoe under your pillow on Christmas, you’ll see the face of your true love while you dream.
EDIBLE MOUNTAIN – Mistletoe
Edible Mountain is a bite-sized, digital series from WVPB that showcases some of Appalachia’s overlooked and underappreciated products of the forest while highlighting their mostly forgotten uses. The series features experts, from botanists to conservationists, who provide insight on how to sustainably forage these delicacies. It also explores the preparation of these amazing delectables, something that many could achieve in the home kitchen.
The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) recognized 134 West Virginia educators Wednesday for completing or renewing their National Board Certification (NBC) at the West Virginia Culture Center.
Early, in-person voting for West Virginia's 2024 Primary Election begins May 1. According to West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, early voting will be conducted in all 55 counties through Saturday, May 11.
Real estate developers who construct housing units in the Huntington area are now eligible for a tax credit through a West Virginia Department of Commerce program.