by Ollerton et al.
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| (A) Mistletoe and (B) holly berries growing on female plants in situ, and the same species packaged displayed for retail (C & D) Photos by J. Ollerton. |
Holly and
mistletoe are two seasonal crops that play a culturally important role as
symbols of Christmas across the world, though both also have pre-Christian
pagan connotations. Now for the first
time the role of insect pollinators in determining the commercial value of
these plants has been investigated, using sales records going back over the
last eleven years from Britain's largest annual auction of holly and mistletoe,
held every year in Worcestershire.
Analysis of the sales records of Nick Champion
Auctions in Tenbury Wells shows that insect pollination raises the sale price
of these crops by on average two to three times. 
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