Chilean palo verde
Geoffroea decorticans

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 6-8 m high. The trunk is 25-35 cm across. It can have several stems. The plant has thorns. The leaves are compound. There are leaflets in opposite pairs and one at the end. The leaflets are 1-4 cm long. The flowers are small and orange-yellow. They are papery and either single or in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a fleshy oval pod with a hard stone inside. The pod is 2-3 cm long. There is 1 seed. The pulp is sweet and fragrant.

Also as Papilionaceae.

Where it is found

It grows in temperate regions. In Bolivia it grows up to 600 m altitude. It is very tolerant of arid conditions. It can tolerate hot locations and grows best in full sun. It grows in areas with cold winter temperatures. It grows in Patagonia. In Argentina it grows between 100-2,600

Countries/locations it is found in

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, South America (country/location of origin), Uruguay

How it is used for food

The pulp of the fruit is used to flavour sweet wines. The fruit or pod can be eaten when very ripe. The leaves are cooked and eaten. The seeds produce a good quality oil.

An important food in Chaco in Chile.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, pods, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Suckers can be used. Root cuttings can be used.

Pods are harvested when they have turned brown and are ripe.

Its other names

Local names

Chanal, Chanar, Chical, Chucal, Cumaru, Guaykuru, Kimbaru, Lecenuk, Manduvi, Paktambe, Poc Tamhe, Quimori, Tacai, Takaik

Synonyms

Geoffroea spinosa M. de Mouusy; Gourliea chilensis Clos.; Gourliea decorticans Hook. & Arn.; Gourliea decorticata Walp.; Gourliea spinosa Skeels; Lucuma spinosa Molina;