[Yerba mate (Spanish); Erva mate (Portuguese); Ilex paraguariensis
(Holly family)]
This shrub, which in the wild can grow into a tree over 40 feet high, is native to southern Brazil, northern Paraguay, and a few patches in Uruguay. Its leaves are harvested to make a caffinated tea, often called "maté", which is very popular in the Southern Cone of South America. It is also popular in Syria and Lebanon, imported from Argentina.
This herb was already in use by the indigenous Guaraní and Tupí peoples of Paraguay in pre-Columbian times. The plant is IUCN rated NT (Near Threatened) in the wild, but is widely cultivated in Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. Photo from United States Botanic Garden distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.
More on the Holly Family.
The photo to the left shows the form in which Yerba Mate is best known,
dried and crushed. It is usually brewed in a gourd, and sipped through a
metal straw. See our recipe
Maté for details of preparation and serving, both
practical and traditional, and the social aspects surrounding it.
Herba Mate is also cold brewed with ice water as the beverage Tereré, which is becoming increasingly popular.This chilled beverage may include fruit juices and various herbs.