Christmas plants

Christmas star orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale)

When Charles Darwin was sent a specimen of the Madagascan Christmas star orchid in 1862, he predicted that since the nectar was at the bottom of the long flower spur, a pollinator must exist with a tongue as long as the spur - 41 years later, such a moth was discovered.

Illustration of Ilex fargesii

Hand-coloured lithograph of Ilex fargesii by Lilian Snelling, after a watercolour by Lilian Snelling and Stella Ross-Craig. This illustration is taken from Curtis's Botanical Magazine.

Fruits of mistletoe (Viscum album)

Typical shoot of a female plant of Viscum album showing ripe fruit and flower buds. Photographed by Wolfgang Stuppy.

Giant redwood lit up at Wakehurst

The country’s tallest Christmas tree is the 113-foot giant redwood at Wakehurst, Kew’s country estate in West Sussex.

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Frosted holly leaves and fruits

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Mistletoe (Viscum album) attached to an apple tree

One of the most well-known evergreens, mistletoe has inspired fascination throughout history, and is held in esteem for its medicinal and perceived magical properties.

Dried specimen of myrrh (Commiphora guidottii)

Believed to be the source of the scented myrrh mentioned in the Bible, Commiphora guidottii is a tree native to Somalia and Ethiopia. This picture shows a detail of a dried and pressed specimen of Commiphora guidottii held in the Herbarium at Kew.

Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) trees in Dhofar

Boswellia sacra trees in Dhofar, southern province of the Sultanate of Oman. Photographed by Helen Pickering.

Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) resin

Frankincense is an oily gum resin from the tree Boswellia sacra and related species. It is named in the Bible as one the three gifts given to the baby Jesus by the 'Three Wise Men'. It has been used for thousands of years in many different cultures. Photographed by Helen Pickering

Illustration of Angraecum sesquipedale

A hand-coloured lithograph of Angraecum sesquipedale by W.H. Fitch. This illustration was featured in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine in 1859.

Giant redwood lit up for Christmas at Wakehurst

The twinkling tree, Sequoiadendron giganteum decorated with 1,800 lights each Christmas, is a local landmark that can be seen for miles around – even from the air by pilots approaching nearby Gatwick Airport.

Illustration of Christmas camellia (Camellia sasanqua)

Colour print of Camellia sasanqua after a watercolour by Stella Ross-Craig. This illustration appeared in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1939.