Acebino (Ilex canariensis)

hollyhock with red berries

Like the Ilex Canariensis? To this it is also called Acebiño and it is a small tree native to the Canary Islands, which in addition to being an emblem of that area, its wood is used for different types of constructions and manufacture of various materials. If you want to know more about this species of trees, in this article we will tell you about its characteristics and properties.

What is Ilex canariensis?

tree or shrub with fruits

It is known as acebiño or with the scientific name of Ilex Canariensis, a a tree that is usually small to medium-sized, sometimes reaching 20 meters in height, but generally measuring between 5 and 10 meters.

This tree is considered a Macaronesian endemism, since has a single distribution area in the world which is precisely the archipelagos that make up Macaronesia, that is, the Canary Islands, Azores, Cape Verde, Madeira and the Wild Islands.

In its 10 meters high, an olive tree can show an infinity of ramifications, an abundant foliation or quantity of leaves and a smooth bark that usually has grayish tones among other colors. Its glass is very dark, so leafy.

Features Ilex Canariensis

The trunk of the Ilex Canariensis can reach 50 centimeters in diameter approximately, at the base of which sprouts are usually produced, which are commonly called suckers.

Its leaves are simple, leathery, alternate and hairless. and they can measure up to 9 centimeters in length and 4 in width. These have a bright and intense green color, which has a lot to do with the humidity of the ecosystem where they live. That shine becomes duller towards the underside.

These leaves show small spines on the edges when they are found at an early age and a corner that does not exceed a centimeter in length, all characteristics very similar to those of the wild orange tree, which is called in botany ilex crenata.

The way to distinguish the hollyhock from the orange tree is to look at their adult leaves, since in the hollyhock they have a more or less rounded termination and while the other tree presents them in the shape of a point. The olive tree has dioecious flowers, because there are both male and female specimens.

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All the flowers of Ilex Canariensis have a total of 5 white petals and they are in the terminal zone of the branches, grouped in small inflorescences, generally next to the corner of the leaves.

The awesome red color of its fleshy fruits About a centimeter in diameter, they tend to darken as they mature. These appear in the Ilex Canariensis tree at the end of spring and inside they can contain between 4 and 6 seeds.

Those seeds will be in charge of generating new holly trees in the area, something that would make its natural proliferation very expensive due to the fall of fruits, but is compensated by the actions of birds, which eat this fruit and excrete its seeds, dispersing them throughout the forest to generate new specimens.

The place of development of the Ilex Canariensis es Laurisilva, or temperate forest with persistent foliage. This has a large amount of constant humidity and intermittent rainfall throughout the year, so there is no dry season, something that is very beneficial for its growth.

The laurel forest, in addition to being found in other places, for example in South America and China, is also part of this group of archipelagos that make up Macaronesia, the place of origin of the Ilex Canariensis.

Uses

  • Its wood is widely used for construction of fences, channels and some utensils that are used in everyday life. Crooks and rods were also made among other things.
  • It is usually used to make preparations, due to the healing properties of the bark.
  • Its wood has also been used for export boxes, which were used by the sugar industry.

You already know all about the Ilex Canariensis, also known as Acebiño, a species that if you want to see it, you will have to travel to the Canarian archipelago and its surroundings.


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