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A mistletoe buyer at Tenbury Wells
Mistletoe Crated for transport
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Harvest & Trade in the UK
Where does our Christmas mistletoe come from? And is the harvest sustainable?
Since most of the UK's mistletoe grows in the south-west midlands of England (see Distribution in Britain) it's probably no surprise that most of Britain's home-grown mistletoe from the Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire areas.
There is a lot of local informal trading - but there is also one big mistletoe market at Tenbury Wells, a Worcestershire market town. Demand elsewhere in Britain is often met with imported mistletoe from mainland Europe. There's more information on all this below:
 The Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Market
Buying at Tenbury
Selling at Tenbury
Sustainability
Imported mistletoe from continental Europe
The Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Market
Tenbury Wells is a small market town on the Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire borders , where traditional weekly mistletoe auctions are held each year in late November/early December.
Weighing the lots
Kneedeep in mistletoe -
waiting
for auctions to begin
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The mistletoe auctions at Tenbury have a long history - at least 100 years. They seem to be the sole survivor of may have been a common sight in the 'three counties' (Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire) market towns from the mid 19th century onwards, to help meet the growing demand for mistletoe at Christmas.
Most would have been centred on the cattle markets - and in Tenbury the auctions were still held in the traditional cattle maket site until 2006. Every year the whole market ground was laid out in lots of mistletoe, and holly, and later on Christmas trees, many display within the cattle pens - as if they might escape...
Cattle Pens of mistletoe
In 2005 the market site itself was sold for redevelopment and there were fears that the auctions would cease. This resulted in the creation of the Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Festival - an annual eventrcelebrating the town's history in the mistletoe trade. For more about the Festival visit the Festival website at www.tenbury-mistletoe-festival.co.uk
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Early morning at the new site
A field-full of mistletoe lots
Most lots are bundles - this is
a whole branch...
(see notes on sustainability below)
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But the auctions have, so far, not ceased. In 2005 and 2006 they continued, under the direct management of Nick Champion (who had previously been the cattle market company's auctioneer), at the cattle market site, despite this becoming more and more derelict.
For 2007 and 2008 Nick moved the auctions to a new site out-of-town, as the old site, still due for redevelopment, had become too unsafe.
In 2009 they will continue to be in the out-of-town site - a mixed success for those wanting theirt retention - the auctions continue, but not in Tenbury itself.
The auction-day atmosphere for the town has been lost - but the tradition does continue.
For the town, there's now the annual Mistletoe Festival instead...
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Buying at Tenbury
Buying mistletoe at the Tenbury Wells Auctions is not recommended if you just want a few sprigs for the living room - this is mistletoe in bulk...
Successful bidder
Awaiting loading
To find out more on the Auctions visit Nick Champion's website:
www.nickchampion.co.uk
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Buyers have to register with the auctioneer, and then stake out the lots they want to buy, waiting until the auction gets to that point.
Lorry-loads of mistletoe
You may need to be quick-thinking if you are to get exactly waht you wanted, as buyers for lots further down the row may have an automatic option to buy all lots from that seller.
Most of the mistletoe is bought up by wholesalers who come form all over the country to be sure of buying genuine British-grown mistletoe - considered the best by many.
Results of successful bidding
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www.teme-mistletoe.co.uk
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If you want smaller amounts of genuine English Mistletoe why not visit Tenbury English Mistletoe Enterprise - who sell direct to the public online. |
Selling at Tenbury
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Thinking of selling your mistletoe at the Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Auctions?
Sustainability
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Selling mistletoe ‘prunings’ at Christmas can be an ideal way to reduce the parasite's impact, provide additional seasonal income and ensure continued co-existence of both tree and parasite.
The seasonal harvest is a traditional method of controlling mistletoe. If left unchecked on fruit trees it can 'take over' the tree, reducing yield, and through increased winter wind resistance, increase the chance of wind-blow.
Outside mistletoe's core British areas there is local harvesting from isolated colonies in gardens and parks. Unless these plants are on low-growing species like apple harvesting can be difficult, and I get reports of people having to shoot it out of the tops of limes
Imported mistletoe from continental Europe
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Most of Britain’s Christmas mistletoe is imported, as mistletoe is much more plentiful abroad, particularly in France. Many people assume this is a recent phenomenon - but we have been importing mistletoe to feed the British kissing custom for well over 100 years!
The pictures show harvesting in Normandy in the 1920s, and the arrival of the continental crop at Nine Elms Station London in the 1930s. Note the similarity of the boxed crop to the more recent continental boxed imports seen in 2000 at the Tenbury Wells market
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Quick links |
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Want to buy mistletoe? Visit:
Need news about mistletoe? Try: 
Looking for mistletoe advice, or a speaker? Try
Interested in Mistletoe Events? Visit:
For mistletoe cards, tees, mugs etc visit 
Want to Grow Your Own? Get advice here, or buy a grow-kit
Coming soon - links to:
The Mistletoe Picture Library
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