Common Name:

General Information

Browningia candelaris is a spiny, evergreen, succulent, tree-like cactus, producing crowns of several, thick, nearly
spineless branches up to 6 metres tall with large trunks that are unbranched and heavily spined, to 50cm in diameter. The stems are cylindrical, often curving downward, and nearly spineless[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine, whilst the dried stems are used for fuel and are often used to make rainsticks[].
Where population information is available in the south of its range Browningia candelaris would be classified as Vulnerable due to an estimated population decline of at least 50% over the past 40 years, the lack of efficient conservation strategies, and its presence in only one protected area. However, since no information is currently available about the northern part of its range, the species is classified as 'Data Deficient' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Chile, Peru

Habitat

Extremely dry areas with very rare rainfall, growing on level areas or on sunny slopes, where it is fully exposed to the sun; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,300 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Data Deficient
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Browningia candelaris occurs in extremely dry areas with very rare rainfall (usually less than 100mm/year). The dry season lasts 8 - 12 months and in some years it is possible to have no rainfall at all[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. Eaten with sugar[]. The fleshy, yellow fruit is up to 70mm long, containing numerous black seeds[, ].

Medicinal

The fruit is used to treat gallbladder disease[].

Other Uses

The dried stems are used to make handicrafts ('rain sticks', palos de lluvia)[].

The dried plant is used to build roofs[]. Used as roof beams[].
The plant is used as firewood[].

Propagation

Seed -

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