December is now well underway, and Christmas won’t be long in showing up with its red hat! This family holiday, synonymous with joy and good cheer, is celebrated in Martinique with many traditions centered around food and Christmas carols. But what about the sapin? Oops, I mean the Christmas tree?
Before plastic Christmas trees took over our supermarkets—and, by extension, our homes—the people of Martinique used other trees to decorate their living rooms, serving as a place to set out the gifts that Santa Claus would leave on the night of December 24.
In Martinique, as in most parts of the region, there are two trees that grow on our land and that we traditionally use as Christmas trees.
The Filao (Casuarina equisetifolia) and Fleuri-Noël (Euphorbia leucocephala)
The first one mentioned, the Filao, although it faces stiff competition from plastic Christmas trees, is the most common Christmas tree in Martinique. The reason is simple: its foliage resembles that of a fir tree, though it is less dense. The Filao is a fast-growing tree that can reach heights of up to 35 meters. To make a Christmas tree from it, you need to cut several young branches and tie them together with rope. When grouped together like this, the Filao branches—decorated with garlands and lights—resemble a fir tree and give the living rooms of Martinicans a chalet-style Christmas atmosphere.
The Filao, is a tree of the family Casuarinaceae, native to the coasts of Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Oceania. The wood of the Filao It is notable for being very hard, and is sometimes called «ironwood» in certain regions. The tree has spread throughout the world’s tropical regions, sometimes naturally due to storms and ocean currents, but more often through human introduction. It is important to note that the Filao is considered a invasive plant in certain parts of the world. It poses a serious problem, particularly in the U.S. (Florida), South Africa, and the Bahamas.
What about the Fleuri-Noël ? Although its name is partly due to circumstance, the Christmas flower is less popular than its tropical counterpart described above. However, a long time ago, back when our grandmothers were still grating dried coconut by hand, the fleuri-Noël could be found in every garden in Martinique. It was truly our ancestors’ Christmas tree. Blooming at the end of the year during the rainy season, it is covered in a thick, deliciously fragrant white bloom, reminiscent of a snowball. It is a shrub that grows to between 2 and 3 meters in height, making it ideal for decorating living rooms in Martinique.
From the family of Euphobiaceae, The Fleuri-Noël is a delicate tree that is sensitive to weather conditions and temperature (between 20 and 28°C). Native to Central America, it was introduced here as an ornamental plant. The white latex (commonly called “milk”) contained in the Christmas cactus is toxic. Take precautions if you need to handle it.
Unlike the Filao, the Fleuri-Noël It bears no resemblance at all to the fir tree, which has become the quintessential Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the Fleuri-Noël’s original geographic proximity makes it the most legitimate Christmas tree in our region (the Caribbean).
There are other plants that, during the holiday season, are used as decorative accents around the Caribbean Christmas tree. These include The Cane Flower and The Christmas Star also known as Poinsettia.
Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), native to Southeast Asia, blooms at the end of the year and offers a magnificent sight to those who take the time to observe it—especially when the wind sweeps through the sugarcane fields, causing the multitude of flowers perched atop their stems to dance. The Christmas Star (Euphorbia pulcherrima) It comes from Central America and Mexico. In fact, it’s not the flower of this plant that interests us, but the leaves, which turn a vibrant red—or sometimes white—toward the end of the year. The red mixed with green creates a composition that’s perfect for the holidays.
So when December rolls around, take the time to make a few bouquets of poinsettias and « flèch kann » (the «cane arrow» in Creole, due to its pointed shape), and arrange them tastefully in the living room. This lends Caribbean Christmas decorations a rare sense of authenticity.
It is worth noting that the law prohibits the collection of these species when they are found in nature reserves.
If, or rather, when the rain stops falling on the branches and trunks of the trees near our house, we’ll step onto that path* CBM
(*If you'd like to learn more about the flowers and trees of Martinique, follow this link)
Sources: biodiversite-martinique.fr, fleursetcouleurs.net, azmartinique.com
