Common Name:

General Information

Ilex dumosa is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a longish, dense crown; it can grow from 2 - 9 metres tall[]. The smooth bole can be 25 - 45cm in diameter[].
The leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for Yerba mate (Iles paraguariensis), but are considered to be inferior and are not liked by the buying public[]. The wood is also sometimes used locally. An ornamental tree, it can be used in urban plantings[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, southern and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Open formations at the edges of forests, less frequently in Araucaria forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of subtropical to tropical areas, being found at elevations from near sea level to over 1,000 metres.
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soil conditions[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a substitute for Yerba Mate tea but are considered to be inferior[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is white, not clearly demarcated from the sapwood[]. The wood is light, soft and easy to work with but with poor mechanical properties and very susceptible to rot[]. It is only used for making boxes[].
The wood is used as a fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - usually slow to germinate because they have a hard seedcoat[]. They can be stratified in damp soil, which will speed up the ingress of moisture and reduce germination time. Sow the seeds in light shade in a nursery seedbed. Germination rates are moderate[].

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