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Plant · P-931
Yerba Mate
Ilex paraguariensis
Yerba mate is an evergreen holly cultivated for its caffeine-rich leaves; young growth is dried and ground into the tea known as mate throughout South America. Native to humid subtropical highlands near streams and river valleys up to 1500 m elevation it wants warm humid air with 1200-2000 mm annual rainfall and prefers full sun to light shade. Grows best where daytime temperatures run 17-26 C and mature wood is reported killed near -6 C; commercial growers report container specimens damaged nearer -1 C so treat the colder figure as optimistic. Wants rich well-drained soil in the pH 5.8-8 range with 6.5-7 optimal. Typically 4-8 m tall in cultivation though wild trees reach 15 m. Slow from seed - fresh seed can take two to three years to germinate; cuttings and grafting are faster. Dioecious - fruiting requires both a male and a female plant.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Full Sun · Partial Sun
- USDA zone
- USDA 9–11
- Soil
- Sand · Loam · Clay
- Moisture
- Well-Drained · Moist
Vertical layer
Sub-Canopy- Soil pH
- 5.8–7.5
- Plant type
- Evergreen Tree
- Mature height
- 13.1–26.2 ft
- Mature spread
- 4.9–11.5 ft
- Plant spacing
- 4.9 ft
- Root type
- Tap
- Spread pattern
- Seed
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The deeper layer
Plan what comes next.
- Primary
- Locked ecological function
- Secondary
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- Byproduct
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Behind the record
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