Arrayán (Chilean myrtle)
Luma apiculata
Cinnamon bark that peels to cream, white flowers for bees and sweet black berries.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 10
Light: part shade
Size: about 30 ft tall, 15 ft wide
Harvest: September to October
From: Chile and Argentina
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: Southern Cone & Patagonia. Hardy in zones 8 to 10.
The story
Arrayán has bark like cinnamon suede, cool to the touch even on a hot day. A whole forest of ancient ones stands on a peninsula in Lake Nahuel Huapi in Argentina. Mapuche people ferment the berries into chicha.
Planting
Sun or part shade, moist well-drained soil and shelter from hard frost. It suits mild, damp climates.
Growing
Water in dry spells. Lift the lower branches as it grows to show off the trunks.
Harvest and use
White flowers in late summer make a fine honey. The sweet purple-black berries that follow are eaten fresh or cooked.
What to watch for
Hard frost and drought. It self-seeds in mild, wet gardens.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home