Native to South America, maitén (Maytenus boaria) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Celastraceae family, and its name is of Mapuche origin. The tree is widely distributed throughout the region of Patagonia, and it has long been an integral part of the life and food culture of the indigenous Tehuelche people.
Distinguished by a grayish-brown bark and drooping branches, the tree bears lance-shaped to elliptic, leathery, and finely toothed light green leaves, while the flowers that bloom in spring are usually very small and pale green to whitish. In early summer, the maitén tree bears capsule-like, orange-red fruits that have an oval shape.
One or two seeds surrounded by red flesh hide inside the fruit, and they are commonly used to prepare a non-commercial edible oil with a bitter flavor. In spring, the tree’s branches produce tender shoots that are usually harvested from the wild by the locals, who typically consume them as an appetizer after they’ve been fried in oil with garlic.
Due to it being wild-harvested mostly for household consumption, this tree and its traditional uses are almost limited to rural populations that live near the natural habitat of the plant, while the majority of Argentina’s population remains relatively unaware of the tree's various uses.
