 |
| Guavaberries |
While some people are hanging glittering ornaments on pine and
fir trees shipped down from the north country, the trees growing here are displaying
their own holiday delights.
The local guavaberries near me are just getting ripe. They are
used to prepare traditional West Indian treats for Christmas celebrations –
including tarts, jam, wine. Also popular rum drinks flavored with mashed up guavaberries,
spices and sugar.
Carolers used to travel from house to house spreading holiday
cheer and singing the Guavaberry Song: “Good morning, good morning, I’ve come
for my guavaberry. Good morning, good morning, to you and all your family.”
 |
| Inkberries |
The inkberry tree is also associated with traditional holiday
celebrations because it was used locally as a Christmas tree. It is a small
forest tree, drought and salt tolerant, with a straight trunk and spiny
horizontal branches. Its thorns helped hold on candles and other decorations.
The berries are white when ripe but can be used to make a purple ink, hence its
name. The thin branches were also sometimes used as fishing poles (with the
thorns stripped off).
 |
| Christmas Palm |
The Christmas palm is not native to the Virgin Islands. It is
originally from the Philippines, but has been planted around St. John because
of its attractive red fruits. They do look a lot like Christmas ornaments, and
many are fully ripe now.
 | ||||
| Pigeon Berries
The pigeon berry is a smallish native tree with beautiful
flowers and fruit. I have been seeing their ripe red berries all along the
roadsides, and also spotted a few at Hawksnest beach. The berries are not tasty
for people to eat, but the birds do like them. Last year the berry-eating birds
were going hungry due to the storms, so it is good to see so many of these
trees producing fruit.
The local sea grapes are also starting to get ripe. I saw these
at Hawksnest. You can eat them when they get purple, but they taste better
cooked up with some sugar in a jam. Or maybe made into wine.
Sweet lime bushes grow along the edge of the Hawksnest parking
lot. They are not native but have become naturalized on St. John because the
birds are fond of them and spread their seeds around. The bushes form a hedge
and the deep red berries look very festive for the holiday season.
Unfortunately many of the coconut trees along St. John’s beaches
were knocked down but I found this one at Cinnamon Bay, decorated for the
season with one green fruit.
Happy holidays, and be thankful for the gifts from the trees.
|
