Choosing a Christmas tree. Kissing under the mistletoe. Many people enjoy these fun traditions during the holiday season. But with climate change and habitat loss, some of these plants associated with Christmas are under threat. Fraser fir The Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), native to the southeastern U.S., is popularly used as a Christmas tree. However, it’s classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its population has declined since the 1960s, partly due to invasive pests like the balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae). According to the U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information, the insects have killed 95% of Fraser firs across North Carolina state. Climate change is also putting these firs at risk. Fraser firs sustained the most damage among Christmas trees during the U.S.’s extreme drought in 2021. When Hurricane Helene hit the U.S. in September this year, it caused mudslides that uprooted thousands of trees. The Miami Herald reported the hurricane cost North Carolina farmers $30 million to $125 million, in addition to around a million saplings lost. The warmer and wetter climate is also helping the spread of a root-rotting mold called Phytophthora, the report said. Mistletoe In some Christmas traditions, if you stand underneath a hanging mistletoe, you kiss the person beside you. Historical accounts claim the tradition dates back thousands of years when mistletoe symbolized fertility. Sprigs of mistletoe, usually the American species (Phoradendron leucarpum) with white berries, have become a Christmas staple. Mistletoes are parasitic plants, with more than 1,300 species, according to the…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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