Scientific Name
Aristotelia chilensis
Spanish Common Names
Maqui
English Common Names
Chilean Wineberry, Maqui Berry
Description
_Aristotelia chilensis_, commonly known as Maqui, is a fast-growing evergreen shrub or small tree found in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. It usually reaches 4–5 meters in height and has slender branches covered with opposite, serrated leaves that are bright green and glossy.
From late spring to early summer, Maqui produces small, star-shaped white to greenish flowers that later give way to deep purple-black berries. These fruits have long been consumed by Indigenous Mapuche people for nourishment and medicine, and today are widely recognized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Maqui thrives in sunny clearings and forest edges, where its fruit attracts birds that aid in seed dispersal.
This plant is edible!
Family
Elaeocarpaceae
Growth Form
Shrubs
Origin
Native
Conservation Status
Very Common
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DISCLAIMER: Consume at your own risk all plants marked as "edible"! We are not reliable in case of sickness or death upon consumption of plants.