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Chilean Fire Tree Wikimedia Commons
Proteaceae

Chilean Fire Tree

Embothrium coccineum

Blazing passion.

Family
Proteaceae
Genus
Embothrium
Native to
Chile, Argentina
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
tree
Height
20-40 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
acidic, well-drained
Water
moderate
Hardiness
8-10
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • When in full bloom, the tree appears to be engulfed in flames, earning its dramatic common name.
  • It belongs to the Proteaceae family, making it a distant relative of Australian banksias and proteas.
  • The Mapuche people of Chile call it 'notro' and used its bark for medicinal purposes.
  • It is one of the southernmost-growing trees in the world, found near the tip of South America in Patagonia.
  • Charles Darwin collected specimens of this tree during his voyage on the HMS Beagle.

Color meanings

0

passion

1

spectacle

2

wildness

Uses

  • ornamental tree
  • garden specimen
  • traditional Mapuche medicine