Although many Virgin Islanders now purchase imported pine trees from North America to use as Christmas trees, the traditional Virgin Island Christmas tree is made from the stalk of the mature century plant.

The century plant, Agave missionum, is a common sight in St. John, especially in the drier areas of the island. Until recently, the century plant has seemed to be indestructible, withstanding such hardships as salt spray, steep hills, strong winds, poor soil, low rainfall and full intense tropical sun. Now, however, many century plants in the Virgin Islands have died or are dying, the result of a disease that scientists have yet to conquer.

Although the century plant resembles a giant aloe, it is in the agave family, and more related to the cactus than to the aloe.

Christopher Columbus, on his first voyage to the West Indies, was fooled by the similarity. He had read the accounts of Marco Polo's journey to Asia, in which there was mention of the aloe, a valuable medicinal plant and worth a lot of money in Europe at that time. Consequently, Columbus had his men gather a significant quantity of century plants and load them in the ships' holds.

Cutting down, transporting and storing a large quantity of century plants was an unpleasant task as the century plant is quite unfriendly to deal with. There are sharp hooked thorns all along the sides of the succulent leaves while the tips of the leaves end with long, straight and particularly sharp spines. The leaves are caustic and irritating to the skin when you (inevitably) get stuck with the spines or get sprayed with the sap when you cut the leaves.

After about ten or twenty years of life, the century plant sends out a green stalk from the center of the plant, which looks like a giant asparagus.

The name century plant comes from a similar species found in the American desserts, Agave americana, which blooms its first and only time when it reaches the advanced age of one hundred years.

The century stalk grows rapidly, up to eight inches a day, and can reach a height of over twenty feet. When the stalk reaches its full height it begins to produce branches with brilliant yellow flowers and pollen filled cups at the ends. This usually occurs around Easter time

During the day, the flowers attract hummingbirds, bananquits, moths, honeybees, bumblebees, dragonflies and wasps seeking the plentiful nectar of the blooms. At night, the pollen filled cups and the unique aroma of the flowers attract bats who are reputed to be excellent pollinators.

The stalk, branches, and seed brackets then turn brown, the leaves wither and the plant dies. The tall stalk, however, remains standing for quite a while.

Virgin Islanders have found several uses for the century plant stalk. For example, children sometimes tie the stalks together, employing whist vine or light rope, to make primitive rafts.

Also, the sharp spine from the end of a mature succulent leaf can be extracted and if it is pulled out carefully it will emerge attached to a series of exceptionally strong fibers. The result is a needle and thread ready for use.

In Australia, the century plant stalk is used to make a musical instrument called a digerie do.

Here on St. John, the main use of the century plant stalk is for the traditional Christmas tree of the Virgin Islands. In December islanders search the bush for the mature century plant. The stalk is cut down with a machete and brought home where it is painted and supported in a bucket filled with rocks. Ornaments and lights may then be hung from the branches, and the end result is a wonderful and less expensive alternative to the imported North American pine.