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Common Name: Huigen

General Information

Schinus polygamus is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 4.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

S. America - C. Chile.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	4.50 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a well-drained soil[], succeeding in a hot dry position[]. It requires a sunny position in a poor rather than rich soil[, ].
Plants are very variable in their cold tolerance depending on their provenance, most forms are not very hardy outdoors in Britain but selected forms succeed when grown against a sunny wall[]. A plant growing in a fairly sunny position, but under quite dense tree cover, at Hilliers Arboretum in Hampshire is thriving and had set a large crop of fruit in September 1996[].
Plants are intolerant of root disturbance[].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. Used as a flavouring[].

Medicinal

The fruit, and a resin obtained from the fruit, is antirheumatic[].

Other Uses

An aromatic resin is obtained from the fruit of this species, it is mainly used medicinally[].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse in mid spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter before planting out in early summer[].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 8cm with a heel, August to early September in a frame. Fair to good percentage[].