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Maytenus boaria
Also called Chilean Mayten, Maiten, Maiten Tree
Mayten is an evergreen tree from southern South America, grown for its graceful habit, small light green leaves and hard wood. It is easy from seed and tolerates a range of conditions, but it is invasive in New Zealand and illegal to sell or distribute there.
Maytenus boaria, commonly known as Maitén, is an evergreen tree in the family Celastraceae. It is native to southern South America (Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and southern Brazil). In Chile, it occurs approximately from 30 to 50°S. It can reach dimensions up to 20 m (66 ft) high and 80 cm (31 in) diameter, with a straight trunk.
From its seeds oil is obtained in order to elaborate varnish. The hard wood is used in tool handles and as both ornamental in gardens and reforestation of Chile. European bees produce a very delicious honey from its flowers. Its tender leaves are used to feed cattle, In fact, the name boaria means bovine, because cattle enjoy feeding on them. It is easy to plant by seed.
Mayten tree is fully naturalized in New Zealand where it is spreading very rapidly in the Canterbury region, it now classed as an invasive species and illegal to sell or distribute in NZ.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Maytenus boaria 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.
