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Gevuina avellana
Also called Chilean Wildnut, Chilean Hazelnut, Gevuin, Gevuina
Chilean hazel is an evergreen tree or sometimes shrub from southern Chile and Argentina, grown for its edible nuts and as an ornamental. It is the only species in its genus and needs cool, moist conditions with good drainage.
Gevuina avellana, commonly known as the Chilean hazelnut (avellano chileno in Spanish) or Gevuina hazelnut, is an evergreen tree growing up to 20 meters (65 feet) tall. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Gevuina belonging to the family Proteaceae. It is native to southern Chile and adjacent valleys in Argentina; it is found from sea level to 700 meters (2,300 feet) above sea level with a distribution that extends from 35° to 44° south latitude. Its indigenous name is guevin in Mapudungun.
The concentration of guevin trees in forest is highly irregular and difficult to predict. It may grow on flatland or hilly terrain, in clay or stony soils.
Guevin seeds are eaten raw, cooked in boiling water or toasted. The nuts contain about 12 percent protein, 49 percent oil, and 24 percent carbohydrates. The seed has a very high concentration of monounsaturated oils and is also obtained for several purposes in Chile. It is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin E (α-tocotrienol) and β-carotene. Its oil is an ingredient in some sunscreens. Gevuina oil is used as a cosmetic ingredient for its moisturizing qualities and because it is a source of omega 7 fatty acids (palmitoleic acid). Production of seeds may vary greatly from tree to tree. The plant is also a source of cetoleic acid, a rare fatty acid.
The tree is a good honey plant for bees and is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. The seed shells contain tannin that is used for tanning leather. The tree has an acceptable frost resistance (at least −12 °C (10 °F)) when mature. The wood is cream-colored with dark brown streaking and is used in cabinetry and musical instruments.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Gevuina by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
