Maqui berry

Aristotelia chilensis

Evergreen Patagonian shrub or small tree with glossy dark leaves and clusters of small deep-purple-black berries in late summer. Sacred plant of the Mapuche and a modern "superfruit" exported from Chile.

Hardiness ratings

Maqui berry hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 8–10 −12.2 °C to 4.4 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H4 −10 °C to −5 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 8–9 −7 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 2–5 −10 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Native to the Valdivian temperate forest of southern Chile and adjacent Argentina
  • Edible berries — intensely dark blue-purple, very high in anthocyanin antioxidants, traditional Mapuche food and now a commercial export "superfruit"
  • Separate male and female plants — both needed for fruit
  • Demanding cultivation — needs cool moist maritime conditions, succeeds in coastal western UK, Ireland, Tasmania, New Zealand

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Maqui berry against your zones

Reference

Maqui berry on Wikipedia