Edible Plants of the World

Paraguay Tea, Mate

It is native to South America. It grows in cool, humid, tropical highlands. It is a subtropical plant. It often grows near streams. It is hardy. It needs reasonable drainage. It needs are even rainfall of at least 1,200 mm per year. It grows in areas with and average annual temperature of 21-22°C. The lowest temperature it can tolerate is -6°C. It requires a soil pH between 5.8-6.8. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Also known as:

Arvore-do-mate, Arvore-da-congonha, Brazilian tea, Congonha, Erva-do-Paraguai, Erva mate, Ka'a, Kongon, Te do los jesuitas, Yerba mate

Synonyms

Edible Portion

Where does Paraguay Tea grow?

Found in: Andes, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Ecuador, Hawaii, India, Mexico, North America, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, South America, Uruguay, United States

Notes: There are about 400 Ilex species. It is rich in caffeine. It has anti-diabetic, antioxidant and cardio-protective properties.

Status: It is a national drink in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Growing Paraguay Tea, Mate

Cultivation: Plants are easily grown from seed. They should be sown immediately. But the time for germination can be long. Plants can also be grown by misted cuttings and by grafts. Plants are pollinated by insects.

Edible Uses: The leaves are dried and crushed then made into tea using boiling water. They contain caffeine. The berries are also used to make tea.

Production: Trees grow slowly. One tree can produce 30-40 kg of dried leaves per year. Leaves are only collected from the same tree every third year. The leaves are collected and roasted to inactivate the enzymes so the leaves keep their green colour.

Nutrition Info

per 100g edible portion

Edible Part Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Iron (mg) Vitamin A (ug) Vitamin c (mg) Zinc (mg) % Water
- - - - - -

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