My Christmas Gift in Florida

Trees indeed have hearts. ~ Henry David Thoreau

I do not need to flip a calendar to signal December’s arrival. All I have to do is look out my third story office window to view my favorite palm–the Christmas palm. My Florida front yard is a riot of scarlet red as the tree’s clusters of fruit burst into bloom day by day.

A Miracle of Nature Unfolding

I am fascinated how this happens! In the summer, small green flowers bloom and turn into round green fruit. Around Thanksgiving, the green fruit begins to ripen and to look like glossy Christmas ornaments!

This magnificent Christmas palm is eye level as I work at the computer. The squirrels love to play in the tree. They pick the hard red fruit and hide it in other spots of the yard. My cats Chauncey and Grace are entertained (or tormented) as they watch these antics from the window ledge.

Each of the three trunks originally has three clusters of flowers. Some years one or two of the clusters do not last until December due to hurricanes or to squirrels prematurely storing green gifts!

Photo Credit: Linda A. Mohr

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