If you’ve had a hard time finding mistletoe hanging at your office — encouraging festivity-endorsed sexual harassment — credit a Texas drought for causing a shortage in the smooch-mandating parasitic plant.

The New York Times reports that what little mistletoe is available in places such as New York looks anemic and isn’t worth its inflated price.

The story quotes a self-described Texas mistletoe tycoon named Speedy who says “There’s not enough mistletoe in the State of Texas to run a commercial operation.” The reporter also finds anecdotal evidence that florists are shying away from stocking the decoration, shortage or not.

The best part of the article comes when it describes how mistletoe is harvested, saying the parasite, which latches onto trees and bushes, sometimes needs to be shot with a gun before being collected. If you’re out of ammo, a pole with a hook also helps you tame the savage, seemingly endangered holiday plant-beast.

Mistletoe Gets the Kiss-Off [The New York Times]

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