Ephedra chilensis 'Pingo-pingo'

[Ex. Cordillera de Los Andes 1480 m., Neuquén, Argentina]

Ephedraceae: an evergreen dioecious shrub 0.25-1.5m tall. Found on hot, steep, dry slopes amongst pumice rocks, and in alpine zones. Male globose strobili, from 4-8 mm, with 3-7 whorls of bracts. Female strobili of 8 to 10 mm, pedunculated, usually simple, with 3-5 whorls. Flowers from December-February. The berries are fleshy, globose, red, pink to ivory when ripe. Ovoid seeds. Twigs young erect, with internodes of 1.7 to 4.5 cm. Little leaves reduced to scales, greenish or chestnut. Native to Argentina (Mendoza, Neuquén); Chile (Antofagasta, Maule, Santiago, Valparaíso).

USES:

The fruits are consumed fresh.

In popular medicine it is used as a diuretic and against urinary conditions.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Sow seeds in spring in a greenhouse in a sandy compost. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least their first winter in a greenhouse. Requires a well-drained loamy soil and a sunny position. Established plants are drought resistant and are also lime tolerant. This plant seems to be perfectly hardy in Britain. The plant is dioecious, therefore male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

HARVESTED: 2019

 

APPROX. 25 SEEDS