After several spring rains, the grass on the green field of the community began to look around. For people who have just experienced a long and desolate winter, this long-lost greenery is undoubtedly a joy. But a few sporadic plants still make people unable to dispel their longing for spring, so taking advantage of our free weekends, we decided to go for a spring outing in the wild.
After being rejected at Pingxing Pass (under renovation), my husband and I coincidentally thought of the nearby Qiaoergou Scenic Area, which is the source of the Hutuo River.
Since this area was developed into a scenic spot, we have experienced its winter elegance, been obsessed with its autumn beauty, and touched its summer agility, but we have never tasted its early spring taste. Therefore, this time it can be said that we got what we wanted.
Stepping into the scenic spot again and embarking on the winding plank road, what you see is not the stronger spring scenery as expected. Only the evergreen pine trees have faded away from the gray green in winter. , put on new green clothes, decorating the spring hillside. The most surprising thing is the scenery in the river ditch below the plank road. A heavy snowfall a few days ago is covered with thick ice, and there is the sound of gurgling water under the ice. There is no trace of spring here, it is clearly still the middle of winter! It seems that our search for spring is a bit faster.
My husband, who has always loved mountain climbing, looked at the not too high hillside in front of him and felt the desire to conquer it again. I had no choice but to wait for him while taking pictures by the pool below. It was afternoon, and there was no one in the empty valley. There was only the sound of gurgling water and the chirping of unknown birds. Groups of frogs are chasing and playing in the pool, some are showing off their charms, and some have obviously successfully won the hearts of the opposite sex and are intoxicated in the joy of hugging each other...
After about half an hour of walking, my husband's figure appeared in my field of vision, and he finally started to go down the mountain. When he came down with dirt all over his trousers and shoes, and excitedly described to me the feeling of climbing the mountain, something suddenly seemed to catch his eyes. I followed his gaze and discovered that there seemed to be a large bird's nest on a nearby tree. It was said to be a bird's nest, but something seemed wrong. Because common bird nests are made of dead branches and the like, they should be dark and spherical in shape from a distance. The thing that attracts our attention is round in shape, but its color is tender goose yellow. There is clearly a poplar tree in front of me. The poplar trees on the surrounding hillsides currently only have green trunks, and the leaves have not grown yet. Why is there just that green mass?
We began to look around curiously, and then we discovered that there were such things on many trees around us, some growing on poplar trees, some growing on elm trees, and some growing on willow trees. It's just that their shape is too much like a bird's nest, so they didn't attract our attention at first. Seeing that one of them was not too far from the ground, my husband found a dead branch and tinkered with it for a long time, and finally stabbed it down.
After holding it in our hands and studying it for a long time, we still couldn’t figure out what it was. So I took a few photos of it and planned to send them back to my classmate who is from here to ask if she recognized it.
After returning home, I suddenly thought why not ask Baidu for help first. As a result, after uploading the picture and checking it, I had an enlightenment.
It turns out that this is a mistletoe plant, mostly found in the north. It often parasitizes poplars, willows, elms, and mulberry trees. In spring, when these trees are still in a depressed state, it takes the lead in sprouting, spreading its branches and leaves around, and then grows into a spherical shape, like a bird's nest. Small white berries are produced in summer and autumn, gradually turning yellow until they turn red in winter. These berries are a delicacy for birds.
As we all know, dandelions and elm trees rely on the wind to spread their mature seeds everywhere, and some plants rely on insects such as butterflies and bees to carry their seeds to other places. Here the wind and insects act as media effect.
So what does mistletoe rely on to parasitize other tree species? Those are the birds that feed on its berries. Its berries are not only delicious but also very sticky. Every autumn and winter, the branches of the mistletoe are covered with small orange-red fruits. Birds that feed on the fruits of the mistletoe will gather around the fruit-bearing mistletoe bushes and eat the fruits while playing. Because the pulp of mistletoe is rich in mucilage, they will rub their mouths on the branches while eating, which will cause the core to stick to the branches. Some fruit cores are swallowed by it and will be excreted with feces and stick to the branches. It usually takes 3-5 years for these seeds to germinate and grow new twigs. Sometimes mistletoe seeds fall on themselves, and small mistletoes will grow.
We all know that parasites are harmful to the human body. So is mistletoe harmful to its host? There are different opinions. Some people think that mistletoe will absorb nutrients from the host and affect the growth of the host. Some people believe that compared to the tall host, mistletoe is only a small cluster after all and does not have much impact.
Of course, if you think it is harmful, you don’t need to worry, because in winter, dry mistletoe can be easily knocked down. The stems and leaves of mistletoe are also very good Chinese medicinal materials, which can nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen muscles and bones, remove rheumatism, and stabilize the fetus. This not only eliminates hidden worries, but also increases income. Isn't it the best of both worlds?
It is said that people in some places believe that mistletoe has the effect of warding off evil spirits, so they put mistletoe in their homes or on their door lintels to ward off evil spirits.
It’s great to encounter new and novel things during the spring outing, but what makes me even more satisfied is that through searching, I have explored unknown areas and learned a lot of knowledge. Perhaps to friends who are well-informed, they think I'm a little strange and weird, but for those like me who are ignorant and don't know why there are pine flower patterns in pineapple eggs, this little bit of new knowledge will really make me jump for joy.
After learning so much about mistletoe, I carefully placed the one I brought home on the bookshelf, not to ward off evil spirits, but as a souvenir of this outing.