MISTLETOE is thriving at Cotehele — but it may disappear from some areas of the British countryside in the next 20 years, warn naturalists.

Experts are warning that we may have to rely on imports of mistletoe in the future for those festive kisses so a campaign, led by the National Trust, has been launched to encourage people to buy sustainable sourced home-grown mistletoe.

Cotehele, near St Dominick, is one of the few National Trust locations in the South West where mistletoe, one of the traditional symbols of Christmas, is thriving.

Chris Groves, the trust's orchard officer at Cotehele, explained how the estate's traditional orchard provided a perfect habitat for mistletoe to flourish. 

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

'This work helps encourage a healthy growth of both male and female mistletoe and ensures the mistletoe doesn't overwhelm the trees its growing on. 

'We sell a huge quantity of mistletoe in the run up to Christmas, providing a valuable source of income to the property which is ploughed back into helping us protect Cotehele's orchards.'

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant which prefers the domestic apple tree as its host.

Data shows that mistletoe distribution is closely linked to that of lightly managed, traditional orchards, particularly in the most prolific mistletoe growing area of the South West and Midlands.

Traditional orchards have declined by at least sixty per cent since the 1950s (and by up to ninety per cent in Devon and Kent) and with them, an important habitat for the plant.

In recent years there has also been an increase in the sale of imported mistletoe from Europe, particularly from northern France.

Mistletoe is not only decorative, it also plays an important role in supporting wildlife. It provides winter food for birds such as the blackcap and mistle thrush.