What color are the berries of the European mistletoe?

Mistletoe is the English common name for most obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order "Santalales". They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the "haustorium", through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant. Their parasitic lifestyle has lead to some dramatic changes in their metabolism.

European mistletoe has smooth-edged, oval, evergreen leaves born in pairs along the woody stem, and waxy, white berries that it bears in clusters of two to six.

Mistletoes are often considered as pests that kill trees and devalue natural habitats, but some species have recently been recognized as ecological keystone species, organisms that have a disproportionately pervasive influence over their community. A broad array of animals depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots, transferring pollen between plants and dispersing the sticky seeds.

Mistletoe was associated with fertility and vitality through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century, it had also become incorporated into Christmas celebrations around the world. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is referred to as popular among servants in late 18th century England.