Common Name: Canelón

General Information

Browningia hernandezii is a spiny, evergreen, succulent shrubby, occasionally tree-like plant growing around 2 - 5 metres tall, occasionally to 7 metres. It branches freely from near the base, with stems up to 2.5 metres long and 8 - 12cm in diameter[]
The edible fruit is a popular wild food and is commonly harvested from the wild for local use. It has been suggested as a potential food crop for the high Andes region[].
Browningia hernandezii has a restricted geographic distribution (presence area less than 200 km2), it is known from only three locations and its habitat is being degraded by human activities (deforestation for the expansion of the agricultural frontier, mining and infrastructure construction). The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern S. America - Colombia

Habitat

Xerophytic scrub habitats, growing on rocky sites; at elevations above 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

This species deserves a more detailed study of its phenological cycle, pollination and also of its response to propagation and cultivation under controlled conditions. As a native species, this plant would be a good candidate for commercial fruit cultivation in arid high Andean environments with steep slopes, where it could also be used as a living fence. It would be a more sustainable alternative to the more frequent transformation of these environments into cattle farms (goats, sheep) or to marginal agricultural plots (cereals)[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. Ripe red, unarmed, Very fleshy with a sweet flavour[]. The red fruit is around 45 - 65mm long[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be used as a living fence to mark boundaries and to act as a barrier to grazing animals[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings

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