Drimys winteri

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Drimys winteri
D. winterii flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Canellales Family: Winteraceae Genus: Drimys Species: D. winteri
Binomial name
Drimys winteri J.R. Forst. & G. Forst.

Drimys winteri (Winter's Bark), a slender tree up to 20 m tall, native to the Magellanic and Valdivian temperate rain forests of Chile and Argentina, where it forms a dominant tree in the coastal evergreen forests. It is found from 32° lat.S to Cape Horn (56 lat. S), from sea level up to 1200 metres above sea level. In its southernmost natural range it can tolerate temperatures down to -20ºC. It is also grown as an ornamental plant for its red-brown bark and bright green fragrant leaves, and its clusters of creamy white jasmine-scented flowers.The bark is gray, thick and soft and is milled and fixed as pepper replacement in Argentina and Chile. D. winteri was the first commercial source of vitamin C. Grows well in South England, but in Faroe Islands, which provenances were directly brought from the southern forests of Tierra del Fuego has proved to be very much hardier.^[1]

Wood: reddish color and heavy, it has a very beautiful engraving. It is used for furniture and music instruments. Not durable outdoors because continuous rainfalls damage it. The wood is no good for making bonfires because gives off a spicy smoke.

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