CHILE'S BEST KEPT SECRET
Species
The flora and fauna of El Secreto de Pilén are exceptionally unique. This place is home to a great diversity of native species, which are true gems of local biodiversity. At El Secreto de Pilén, we can find a variety of native plants, such as boldo, peumo, and arrayán, which not only beautify the landscape but also play a crucial role in local ecosystems.
Myrtle
The chañar (Geoffroea decorticans) is a small, resilient tree native to South America, known for its sweet and nutritious fruits and yellow flowers. It adapts well to arid climates and poor soils, and has medicinal uses as well as applications in honey production.
Quillai
The quillay (Quillaja saponaria) is a tree native to Chile, known for its bark rich in saponins, which are used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. It has evergreen leaves and white flowers, and is valued for its numerous medicinal and commercial uses.
Peumo
Evergreen tree endemic to Chile, from the Lauraceae family. With dense, dark green foliage, it can reach up to 25 m in height. It is found between the regions of Coquimbo and Araucanía. It is notable for its edible fruit.
Bollén
An evergreen tree endemic to Chile, it reaches up to 10 m in height. It grows in the Coquimbo region of Araucanía, and adapts to dry or semi-humid soils. It is one of the representative trees of the central region, although most of them are small specimens.
Naranjillo
An evergreen tree endemic to Chile, it is a rare evergreen species that reaches up to 10 m in height. It grows mainly on the coast, and is found between the Coquimbo and Los Lagos regions.
Copihue
The copihue is the national flower of Chile. It is a climbing plant that can reach a length of up to 4 meters. It has simple, oval-oblong leaves, with thickened and smooth edges, dark green above and light green below. The flowers, which appear between March and May, are up to 10 cm long and are an intense red color. It produces an edible fruit, a sweet-tasting berry that contains many seeds. Its root is used in folk medicine against venereal diseases, gout and rheumatism.
Liter
El litre (Lithraea caustica) is a tree native to Chile, known for its irritating sap that can cause dermatitis. It has evergreen leaves and small, white flowers. The litre is important in traditional medicine and local biodiversity.
Boldo
Evergreen tree endemic to Chile. Its leaves, with a strong aroma, are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. It grows up to 20 m in height and is very slow growing, taking several decades to reach adult size. It is found between the regions of Coquimbo and Los Lagos.
Maiten
Evergreen tree found in Chile from the Atacama region to Magallanes, but also in Peru, Brazil and Argentina. It reaches a height of 20 m and is fast-growing. It is tolerant of drought and sunlight.
Mualino or Hualo Oak
Endemic species of Chile, leafy and up to 30 m tall. Its bark is characterized by elongated plates like "milfeuille". It is found infrequently between the Metropolitan and Biobío regions. Today it is threatened by habitat loss.
Chilean Willow
The Chilean willow (Salix humboldtiana) is a tree native to Chile, characterized by its long, flexible branches and lanceolate leaves. It grows near rivers and bodies of water, and is valued for its wood and medicinal uses.
Oak
The roble (Nothofagus obliqua) is a native tree of Chile, characterized by its hard and durable wood. It has deciduous leaves and produces small, green flowers. Roble is valued for its use in construction and carpentry, as well as for its ecological importance in temperate forests.
Hawthorn
A rather short, thorny tree that can reach a height of up to 6 m. It is found between the Atacama and Los Ríos regions and is notable for its yellow flowers. In some regions it is a protected species because it colonises infertile land.
Coigue
The oak (Nothofagus obliqua) is a tree native to Chile, characterized by its hard and durable wood. It has deciduous leaves and produces small, green flowers. The oak is valued both for its use in construction and carpentry and for its ecological importance in temperate forests.
Radal
Evergreen tree, up to 15 m tall. The leaves are hard and among the largest among Chilean trees, which makes it easy to identify. It is found between the regions of Coquimbo and Los Lagos.
Laurel
Evergreen tree endemic to Chile. It grows up to 40 m tall and is found between the O'Higgins and Los Lagos regions. It can live for more than 700 years and is considered a sacred plant for the Mapuche people.
Maqui
Small evergreen tree, up to 5 m tall. It is found between the regions of Coquimbo and Aysén. Its fruit is a small, shiny, juicy and sweet black berry, which is used to eat directly or to make homemade juice, jam, syrup and vinegar. In addition, it is used as medicine for its properties.
Pitao
An evergreen tree endemic to Chile, it can reach a height of up to 15 m and is found in the Coastal Mountain Range between the Maule and Araucanía regions. Its felling was prohibited when it was declared a Natural Monument in 1995.
Cinnamon
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Pudu
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Fox
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Coruru
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Quail
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Chick Spider
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Mantis
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Snake
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.
Cinnamon
Evergreen tree up to 30 m tall with the largest leaves in the Chilean tree flora, measuring between 5 and 15 cm. It is found from the Coquimbo region to Magallanes, and is especially abundant on Chiloé Island.