Coile, cóguil
This fruit called coille, coile or coguil is an elongated edible berry. It is green and acquires yellow hues when mature. The pulp, which is rich in seeds, has a very fresh and delicate flavor. These berries grow in groups of three, between January and March.
Coguilera or voqui (Lardizabala biternata), the plant on which the fruit grows, is a climbing plant with thick branches. It is endemic between the regions of Valparaiso and Aysen, but also in the Region del Maule (Cajon del Achibueno, in the sector Las Mulas), and in the Region de los Rios (Futrono and Paillaco). Its knobby branches wind upwards and adorn its host with thick foliage. They are popular for their flexibility and durability and used in construction, to connect the framework of thatched roofs of traditional local houses and to make natural fences. To improve their appearance, the bark is removed by scorching and to make them even more flexible they are placed in water for a day.
Coille is consumed fresh or can be transformend into jams or sweets.
Due to deforestation and the gradual degradation of the natural habitats of this plant, it becomes increasingly harder to find its fruits on the market.
Image: Diego Valdés
Back to the archive >La coiguelera se encuentra desde la Región de Valparaíso hasta la Región de Aysén, también en la Región del Maule (Cajón del Achibueno, sector Las Mulas) y la Región de los Ríos (Futrono y Paillaco).
La coiguelera está en peligro de extinción debido a la degradación y transformación de los ecosistemas, la pérdida del bosque nativo y del conocimiento de sus formas de consumo.
Foto: Diego Valdés
