An evergreen plant that grows wild and it’s also cultivated for household use, bola verde (Capparis speciosa) is characterized by a smooth dark green bark with an extremely spicy and bitter flavor and thin branches with large and elliptical dark green leaves.
The plant thrives in Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina, where it is distributed throughout the regions of Corrientes, Chaco, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Salta, Tucumán, Formosa, and Jujuy. The plant produces yellow flowers and round green berries with numerous dark seeds surrounded by yellowish-orange pulp.
Almost all parts of the plant are edible - the leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds - and they can be consumed fresh or in dried form. Distinguished by a crunchy texture and cabbage-like flavor, the plant’s leaves are also commonly used as animal feed.
The indigenous Wichí and Toba people have traditionally gathered bola verde as a food item or for medical purposes, and this plant used to play an important role in their traditions. Unfortunately, the plant’s survival has been threatened by a significant decline in its cultivation and consumption over the past years.
