SCIENCE REPORT - Christmas Holiday Plants

Written by Christine Johnson

This is the VOA SpecialEnglish Science Report.

Christmas has many traditions. Singing songs. Cooking foods.Giving gifts. Some special trees and plants also are part of theChristmas tradition.

One of the most popular is the evergreen tree. It is usually apine or a fir. It remains green during the cold, dark months ofwinter in the northern part of the world. Many people buy anevergreen tree for Christmas. They put it in their house and hangsmall lights and colorful objects on its branches. Some people buyliving trees and plant them after the Christmas holiday. Others cutdown a tree or buy a cut tree.

Another popular evergreen plant is mistletoe. It has small whiteberries and leaves that feel like leather. The traditional Christmasmistletoe is native to Europe. Mistletoe is a parasite plant. Itgrows by connecting itself to a tree and stealing the tree's foodand water. It can be found on apple trees, lindens, maples andpoplars.

Priests of the Druid religion of ancient Britain and Francebelieved mistletoe had magical powers. Today, some people hangmistletoe in a doorway at Christmas time. If you meet someone underthe mistletoe, tradition gives you permission to kiss that person.

One of the most popular plants at Christmas is the poinsettia.These plants are valued for their colorful bracts, which look likeleaves. Most poinsettias are bright red. But they also can be whiteor pink. Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They are named afterAmerica's first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. He liked theplant and sent some back to the United States. Many people believethat poinsettias are poisonous. But researchers say this is nottrue. They say the milky liquid in the plant's stem can cause aperson's skin to become red. If children or animals eat the leavesthey may become sick, but they will not die.

Two thick, sticky substances from trees have been part ofChristmas from the beginning. They are frankincense and myrrh. Bothhave powerful, pleasant smells. Tradition says three wise mencarried them as gifts to the Christ child in Bethlehem.

Finally, there are several herbs used in Christmas foods, drinksand decorations. One is sage. Its leaves are cooked with turkey orgoose. And sweet-smelling rosemary plants are hung on doors or cutto look like little Christmas trees.

This VOA Special English Science Report was written by ChristineJohnson.