Ilex paraguariensis Garden2cup - Yerba Mate

Ilex paraguariensis Garden2cup® is a rare botany holly in culture, known for the tea that is prepared with its dried leaves. This drink is rich in caffeine. It is globally known as maté, Yerba maté, or Paraguay Tea. It's a large bush or a small evergreen tree that is covered with tough, dark green leaves. Its discreet spring flowering is followed by the formation of small purple berries. Leaves are harvested between May and October, on plants at least 4 to 5 years old. The harvest takes place every 3 years on the same young plant.

Ilex paraguariensis belongs to the Aquifoliaceae family, like other holly. It is also called Jesuits' tea or Brazilian tea. In nature, it is found in mountain forests, not far from streams, at low altitude. Although it can reach 20m (66ft) in height in the wild in its native lands, this holly stays much smaller in our climates, especially if it is pruned regularly or grown in a pot. Its habit is rather upright and its growth quite fast. A plant aged 10 years will reach on average 4.5m (15ft) in height and 2.5 to 3m (8 to 10ft) in width. Over time and in open ground, under favourable growing conditions (soil rich in humus, moist but well-drained), it still reaches 8 to 9m (26 to 30ft) in height. Its hardiness does not exceed -8°C (17.6°F). The glossy dark green foliage is evergreen in winter. It is made up of tough, entire leaves, elliptical in shape, traversed by visible veins. Flowering takes place in spring, in May-June. The flowers are quite insignificant. They are whitish, grouped by 4 in the leaf axil. The inedible fruits measure 5 to 7mm (0.2 to 0.3in) in diameter and are purple-red when ripe.

Hollies are both beloved and little-known plants, like this Yerba maté. It will interest amateurs who wish to discover the plant that hides behind this stimulating drink. It should acclimatise quite easily in soil rich in humus and sheltered from direct sunlight. Cultivation in a large volume pot is possible, for a few years, by repotting or dressing the substrate every year. In a garden, it can keep company with the Tea plant and rhododendrons which appreciate the same atmospheres!

The genus comprises nearly 800 deciduous or evergreen species, usually native to the temperate northern hemisphere. These very ancient plants have experienced the alternating glacial and dry, hot periods of our climate history, making them extremely adaptable and resilient plants. Their white to cream wood is very low in water, even when green. It is dense and heavy, but soft and easy to work in cabinet-making. It is also an excellent fuel for heating, even when green. Finally, its foliage and berries (not edible) are rich in caffeine. A tea is made with its leaves in the Black Forest.