A NATIONAL Trust property is ensuring Christmas kisses aplenty – by protecting its crop of mistletoe.

Careful management of the symbolic plant is vital, to ensure it continues to thrive, said Chris Groves, orchard officer at Cotehele in the Tamar Valley.

While Cotehele's orchards provide the perfect habitat for mistletoe to flourish, the plant must be cut back to prevent it from stifling the apple trees.

Cropping

Chris said: 'Part of the essential conservation work we carry out at the property involves cutting back and removing the distinctive mistletoe clumps.

'Unchecked, it will swamp its host tree and ultimately cause it to die,' he said.

'So we ensure we undertake regular, managed cropping. This work helps encourage a healthy growth of both male and female mistletoe and ensures the mistletoe doesn't overwhelm the trees it's growing on.'

Sales of the symbolic Christmas plant at Cotehele during December will provide funds for looking after the orchards.

Mistletoe is commonly found on fruit trees where it is relatively easy to harvest, but the plant can also be seen on other host trees such as lime, poplar and hawthorn.

The plant plays an important role in supporting wildlife; as well as providing winter food for birds such as the blackcap and mistle thrush, mistletoe also supports several specialist insects – including Ixapion variegatum, or the 'kiss me slow weevil'.

Mistletoe has long been associated with Christmas and mid-winter customs. While over the channel in France, mistletoe is seen as a symbol of good luck at New Year, in Britain, many people hope to sneak a Christmas kiss by hanging mistletoe in their homes.