Christmas plants

Whether you are decking the halls with boughs of holly, kissing under the mistletoe or nibbling roasted chestnuts, you will find plants closely interwoven with Christmas and midwinter traditions.

Frost adorns the prickly leaves and bright red berries of holly

Festive plant species

Want to know more about frankincense and myrrh; two plants mentioned in the Bible and given as gifts to baby Jesus?

Are you curious about the potted poinsettias that decorate our houses during the festive season?

Do you know whether mistle thrushes have anything to do with mistletoe?

Browse our festive species profiles below to find all the answers and more ...

Plus, why not adopt your favourite Christmas species for a friend over on our Facebook page and help conserve the world's biodiversity?

Enjoy a winter walk at Kew

Christmas at Kew Gardens

Come and celebrate the festive season at Kew this year.

Complete with Santa’s grotto and vintage carousel for the kids, late night retail therapy with tempting deals for shoppers, and delicious Christmas treats for all!

Visit Kew Gardens this Christmas