Common Name: Chañar

General Information

Geoffroea decorticans is a spiny, deciduous shrub or small tree growing up to 12 metres tall with a dense, rounded canopy 8 metres wide. The bole can reach 60cm in diameter. The plant produces new shoots from the roots, often several meters from the parent plant, and can form thickets[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The fruit is an important food source for the local people[]. In areas like San Pedro de Atacama it was a staple food for the native people, and is very prolific[]. The seeds have high potential to become a producer of biodiesel and biofuel in arid and semi0arid regions[]. An attractive plant, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
Geoffroea decorticans is widespread in South America and is known to occur within a number of protected areas throughout the species range. Seeds have been collected and stored by the Millennium Seed Bank Project and the species is known from recent collections. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - northern Chile to Argentina and Uruguay, north through Bolivia to Peru.

Habitat

Arid forests; at elevations up to 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees, Insects
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Geoffroea decorticans is a plant of tropical and subtropical areas, often growing in areas where there can be no rainfall for a year or more (it can tap into underground water, and also found in areas where the mean annual rainfall is up to 1,350mm)[, ]. It can tolerate some freezing, but it is not a cold climate plant, growing best in regions where the mean annual temperature is within the range 20 - 26°c[]. It has been known to survive occasional, short-lived lows down to -14°c[].
Relatively easy to cultivate, it is a very undemanding plant that can tolerate all kinds of soils, even saline ones, provided that it has good drainage[].
Conidered to be a weed by cattle ranchers because it can invade pasture land. It has not spread outside its native range, though anyone wishing to grow it in other regions (it should do well in Mediterranean areas for example) should be aware that it does have the potential to become invasive[].
The plant produces deep-penetrating roots that can tap into underground sources of moisture[].
It is not a fast growing species, you can expect fruits from around the sixth year[].
The pale yellow flowers have an attractive aroma[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. A high sugar content[]. The fruit can be macerated, then boiled, to make a product similar to molasses. Known locally as 'arrope', it is used with cheese and pastries[]. Fleshy and sub-acid, the fruits resemble a jujube, Ziziphus jujube[]. In the virtually rainless Atacama desert of Chile, the fruits are collected, stored in 220-litre barrels and ground to make a type of milkshake in local restaurants[]. The ovoid or globose fruits are around 35 x 25mm in size[].
The fleshy layer surrounding the seeds contains 5% protein, 1% fat, 17% fibre, 2% ash, 23% hemicellulose and 49% sugar (predominantly sucrose)[].

Medicinal

The bark, combined with honey or sugar, has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds[].

An infusion of the leaves has been used as an emollient and to control asthma[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The abundant flowers provide a rich source of nectar for honey production[].
The plant is a natural pioneer species, especially in the moister parts of its range where it can invade pasture land. It is considered to be a serious weed by cattle ranchers, but is considered to be a useful plant by many other people. It can be used within its native range to help restore native woodland[, ].

Other Uses

A dye was extracted from the bark and used to dye wool and cloth[].

The seeds have a high oil content and a woody husk, both with high potential as raw material to become valuable biofuels in arid and sem-arid areas. The oil makes a high quality biodiesel, whilst fuel pellets made from the husks have a higher calorific value and a lower ash content when compared with other biomass pellets. As a consequence of the high content of fruit pulp that remains in the husk, there is no need to add binders or other additives for the production of the pellets, showing a high durability value[].

The wood is hard, heavy, strong with a rather fine texture and irreguar grain. It is a suitable wood for many furniture and carpentry applications, but is seldom available in large enough dimensions for this. It is used locally for tool handles, small furniture items, and is favoured for making small ornamental boxes[, 1309).
The wood makes a good fuel and is used for making charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - keep them moist at relatively low temperatures of 12 -18°c[].
Sections of the root usually produce new shoots freely. Even dried up roots more than 12 months old have been known to sprout when moistened[].

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