Botanical allegory

After last week’s presentation of balsam-fir and wreaths, I started thinking about other Biblical botanical references. There are several more that connect with the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, which we acknowledge this month. One reference stated that 30 plants are associated with the Nativity alone.

The first is less allegorical and more a direct reference. It is bedstraw, specifically the Yellow Bedstraw. Apparently the manger where Christ was born, was lined with a variety of plants. Bedstraw was one such plant. Apparently after His birth, the flowers burst forth around His head, a golden halo. Bedstraw since that time has been referred to as Mary’s Bedstraw or Lady’s bedstraw, as beds were lined with matted plants found all over Europe.Yellow dye may be extracted from Galium verum. Sweet Woodruff is another Galiumspecies used. Bedstraw species also grow in Nova Scotia.

We associate Holly with Christmas and have at least since the Middle Ages in Europe. Holly is an evergreen. Legend has it the deciduous shrub grew leaves one winter during the holy family’s flight from King Herod’s soldiers. Jesus’ gratitude was to make it evergreen. Holly was once called Holy Plant. Again Nova Scotia has several native hollies growing along the edges of streams, lakes and wetlands. The English Holly we use at Christmas, is horticultural material. One legend claims the bed berries represent the blood of Christ and the prickly leaves, the crown of thorns eventually worn by Christ.

Frankincense and myrrh associated with the wise men who visited Bethlehem after the birth. The Magi carried with them, three caskets: one of gold, one of frankincense and one of myrrh. Each was said to have represented the three offices of Jesus: gold for King, frankincense for Priest and myrrh for Prophet. Frankincense is the sweet sap of a tree used as a perfume. Some say it had medicinal properties and that it symbolized royalty. Myrrh was used as an anointing oil (or embalming oil). It is also softly perfumed and is extracted from a thorny tree. Both are resins, released by the plants when the trees are wounded. Essential oils and beads of resins are both available today. Myrrh elsewhere in the Bible refers to Myrrhis odorata, a licorice-scented potherb. Neither grow in Nova Scotia, being native to the Middle East and eastern Africa.

Generally these weekly entries are written from my prior knowledge. However my religious instruction was half a century ago, long before my botanical instruction. Therefore I used wikipedia to assist me.


Yellow Bedstraw, photo by Martin Thomas
Canada Holly, photo by Ross Hall

Frankincense, from website of Paul Bennett

Myrrh, by Paul Bennett