01.
A Bit of Botany
a little botanical information about boldo
description
Boldo is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Monimiaceae family. The
plant grows to a height of 6 to 20 feet and possesses thick waxy leaves. The
leaves have strong, woody and slightly bitter flavor and camphor-like aroma.
Leaves are opposite, sessile, about 2 inches long entire, and color when
dried is reddish-brown, they have a prominent midrib and a number of small
glands on their surface.
It is in flower from Aug to September. The flowers
are dioecious so both male and female plants must be grown in order to
product seed. The fruit appear between December and February, and are small
yellowish-green spheres.
common names & nomenclature
Boldo is from the Mapudungun name foḻo. Mapudungun is a language spoken in
south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people.
Also known as:
boldus fragrans, boldo, boldu, boldus lyons, boldea fragrans gay, peumus fragrans, boldoa, boldina, baldina, molina, boldu chilanum