Christmas Palm Tree Seeds
The Christmas Palm Tree, Adonidia merrillii, is a small palm tree that looks similar to the co- conut palm but can only reach 20 - 25 ft in height. They are native to the Philippines but are very common in landscaping all over Nevis, the Caribbean, and anywhere in the tropics. The trees bear spiky, clustered branches covered in bright red seeds.
Eventually the seeds dry, the red coat disintegrates and a brown, oval seed is left on the ground. These have another coat on them, which is sort of like straw or burlap, which can be peeled off as a whole once they are very dry and have sat for quite awhile. Once this coat is gone you are left with a beautifully textured, oval-shaped seed in tones of cream and tan that is very hard. These we drill — and break a lot of bits while doing it — and incorporate into our jewelry.
