Medicinal Monday the Magic of Mistletoe Juniper

Did you know there are over 1,300 species of mistletoe worldwide? The name “mistletoe” has an unusual origin. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon words mistel (meaning dung) and tan (meaning twig), loosely translating to “dung on a twig.” This refers to how birds spread mistletoe by leaving their droppings on tree branches. In Native American communities, Juniper mistletoe had practical uses beyond tradition. It served as both a food source and a natural remedy for certain ailments. A plant with a rich history—and a little holiday magic.

About Juniper Mistletoe

Juniper mistletoe (Phoradendron juniperinum) is a parasitic plant in the sandalwood family, native to the American Southwest and northern Mexico. It is the only true mistletoe found in the Rocky Mountains, thriving in pinyon-juniper woodlands across states like Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Texas, and Sonora. With its yellow-green, upright branches, juniper mistletoe attaches to host trees to extract nutrients. As a hemiparasite, it also carries chlorophyll, allowing it to photosynthesize. The plant has male and female forms; the females produce shiny pink or red berries. Birds feed on these berries, spreading seeds through their droppings. When a seed germinates, it sends roots into the host tree’s bark to draw nutrients and establish itself.

Photo credit: John Morefield

Medicinal & Culinary  Uses

In her book Healing Herbs, Traditional Medicine of the Southwest, Leonora Curtin highlights the many uses of this plant by Native Americans. It was used in love spells to inspire affection and as a food source during scarcity by tribes like the Acoma, Keres, Havasupai, Laguna, and Navajo. The berries were eaten raw, boiled, pounded into paste, or brewed into tea.

Medicinally, it was most commonly used for gastrointestinal issues. Another common use was to eat twigs after childbirth to stop the flow of blood. The Hopi, Keres, Navajo Ramah, Tewa, and Zuni relied on it for this purpose. The Keres treated children with diarrhea using crushed parts of the plant. They also crushed parts of this plant to make a rub for rheumatism.  The Navajo used the plant to treat warts, while the Zuni prepared an infusion to relax muscles during childbirth. The Pima made a wash from the plant to treat sores and wounds.

Photo Credit: Ken Raiz

Did You Know...

Phoradendron means thief of trees in Greek and is well named because of its parasitic nature.

Because it is hemiparasitic, juniper mistletoe will not cause enough damage to a tree to kill it.

The Hopi believed that this plant was used in witchcraft medicine.