There are certain plants, in the UK, that we always associate with Christmas. Of course, there is the ubiquitous Christmas tree (firs, pines and spruces being the most sought after) that gained mainstream popularity in the middle of the 19th Century. And more recently, the adoption of the American tradition of decorating the festive table with a poinsettia as a centrepiece. However, other plants such as holly, ivy and mistletoe belong to older traditions of bringing plants indoors that pre-date Christianity itself. There are some interesting stories that accompany all these traditions, both old and new(er).
Christmas trees
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are widely credited with introducing the Christmas tree to British society in the 1840’s. However, the first documented Christmas tree in the UK was set up in Windsor in 1800 by Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III.
The origin story of the Christmas tree has it that Martin Luther, the renowned religious reformer, was walking through a pine forest in 16th Century Germany when he stopped and looked up to see a skyful of stars glinting like jewellery in the branches of the trees. This starry sight inspired him, at Christmas that year, to bring a fir tree into his house and decorate it with candles to remind his family of the heavens – from where their saviour came.
By the late 1850’s, setting up decorated Christmas trees at home had become popularised in the British middle classes by the detailed depictions and descriptions of royal Christmas trees, by periodicals such as the Illustrated London News. Engravings in publications of the day, featured Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children decorating trees and it is likely that these images sent the Victorian British public Christmas tree crazy.
These days the Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana) is the most popular species of tree grown for Christmas tree sales in the UK. Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) are also remarkably popular and although still a newcomer, Korean Fir (Abies koreana) with its prized upright, purple cones is becoming a rising star in the market. If you want to reduce waste when Christmas is over, why not consider buying a potted tree and planting it in the garden in January or February.
Poinsettia
Although best known as a Christmas plant in the USA and the UK, the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a tropical rainforest plant that can grow to 5 metres in its native central America. The colourful bracts come in reds, pinks and creams and are often mistaken for flowers. They are, in fact, modified leaves – the flowers being the tiny berry-like structures at the centre of the bracts. These are called cyathia.
Poinsettias are named after Joel Robert Poinsett who was the first US ambassador to Mexico in the 1820’s. He was also a botanist and made the plants popular in the USA. Many people believe that poinsettias are highly toxic, but this is not true. You would have to eat hundreds of leaves to have a major reaction. But who would want to eat poinsettia leaves anyway? Like many Euphorbia’s the sap contains latex so can cause skin irritation to those with a latex allergy.
The first poinsettias arrived in England in 1834 but it was not until the 20th Century that they became popular as Christmas plants in the UK.
Holly
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) was the plant of choice for Druids, Celts and Romans to bring into their homes to ward off evil spirits in darkest winter. As Christianity made its way across Europe, the imagery of the spiny leaf was taken to identify with the crown of thorns worn by Jesus at his crucifixion and the red berries to symbolise his blood. And even though this was more to do with Jesus’s death, rather than his birth, old habits die hard, and the holly has endured to be one of the most recognisable images of Christmas.
Holly with red berries is traditionally associated with males and was thought to bring men protection. The irony of this is that holly is a dioecious plant, meaning it bears male and female flowers on separate plants. This means any holly tree bearing berries is actually female. Oh, and the berries are technically drupes, similar to plums, cherries or olives. The female counterpart to holly is ivy.
The wood of holly is dense and finely textured and has been used by furniture makers for many centuries, especially for inlays and marquetry. It also burns hot and for a long time so is perfect on the fire on a cold winter’s night.
Ivy
Ivy (Hedera helix) is another plant that was used in Pagan cultures to decorate the home during winter months. It is commonly used in Christmas wreaths and decorations but has recently fallen out of favour compared to holly and mistletoe. In times past, not so long ago, decoration materials were picked from hedgerows and ivy was a favourite, especially in areas where holly was not quite so abundant.
Ivy is often linked to holly at Christmas, not least in the carol ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. This connection goes back as far as the pagan festival of Beltane where the holly and the ivy are burnt together. Ivy is associated with the Roman god Bacchus (mainly known now for drinking) and is thought to bring good luck and happiness. In Shropshire it was thought that drinking alcohol from a cup made from ivy wood, could neutralise the malign effects of the alcohol. We will reserve judgment on that one!
Mistletoe
Mistletoe (Viscum album) is a semi-parasite, in that it takes some of its nutrients from its host tree, although it does produce some energy of its own through photosynthesis. It is usually associated with love, romance and a snog at the office Christmas party. But its roots (or lack of them) with Christmas go back much further.
Mistletoe grows in the crowns of trees, and with its evergreen nature and no roots into the ground below it is not surprising that it has been associated with magic and mysticism. In pre-Christian times it was seen as a sacred plant that had miraculous properties and could heal many ills. It has recently been discovered to have chemical compounds that inhibit tumours.
Most people associate mistletoe with orchards, particularly in the cider making areas of England, but it can grow on a wide range of host tree species, most commonly limes, hawthorns and poplars.
Whatever plants you bring into your home this Christmas, be content in the fact that you are participating in customs that stretch back many, many generations and celebrate this natural history that is associated with Christmas and winter festivals.