Chupasangre Cactus

A member of the cactus family, chupasangre cactus is distributed across the Patagonian plateau including La Pampa, Río Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and southern Mendoza, and the mountainous areas of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Typically flowering between December and January, this perennial plant is characterized by green fleshy stems with oval-shaped branches which are covered by light brown spines.

The plant produces bell-shaped yellow flowers and cylindrical, fleshy fruits containing seeds. Its large tuberous roots are edible, and once peeled, they reveal a white, sticky, and meaty potato-like flesh which can be consumed in its fresh or cooked state.

People of the Mapuche indigenous community have long been collecting the fruit and roots of the chupasangre cactus for household consumption, especially in the Paraje de la Media Luna area of Neuquén. Although it used to represent one of the essential sources of nutrition for the local population, chupasangre’s traditional uses and consumption are gradually disappearing due to decreased interest in this local plant.