Plants

carqueja

Baccharis trimera

Family: Asteraceae · Genus: Baccharis

Placenta II Low No biomass production

carqueja — Mateus Hidalgo · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

A perennial subshrub of the Asteraceae family, native to southern, southeastern and central-western Brazil and neighboring parts of South America, about 0.5–0.8 m tall. It has distinctive green, three-winged photosynthetic stems and essentially no true leaves. A hardy plant of open grasslands, it is traditionally used in folk medicine for the digestive system and the liver. It flowers in spring and summer.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Baccharis crispa Spreng., Baccharis genistelloides var. trimera (Less.) Baker, Baccharis trimera var. carqueja DC.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta II
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Low
Strata: Ground cover, Low
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 5–6.5
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones: 9–11
Frost tolerance: -3.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 0.4–0.8 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Fast
Lifespan: 3–8 years
Time to first harvest: 12 months
Productive lifespan: 5 years

Biomes & climate

Cerrado Native
Atlantic Forest Native
Pampa Native

Köppen classes

Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable
Oceanic (Cfb) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable
Subtropical highland (Cwb) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Carqueja takes the Low stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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✂️ Management & Pruning

A hardy subshrub that resprouts from the crown after cutting: harvesting the green winged stems acts as pruning, and periodic cutting back renews the tender photosynthetic shoots. Cut back old, hardened stems to stimulate vigorous new growth.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: September, October, November, December, January, February

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of carqueja?

The first harvest of carqueja comes around 12 months after planting.

How tall does carqueja grow?

At maturity, carqueja reaches 0.4–0.8 m tall.

When does carqueja flower?

Flowering of carqueja occurs in September, October, November, December, January, February.

What stage and stratum does carqueja occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, carqueja belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

Medicinal 🍯 Melliferous 🐝 Attracts pollinators

Propagation

Seed, Cutting, Division

Citations

GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (scientific_name, gbif_taxon_key, family, genus)
Wikipedia (pt) — Baccharis trimera (description, height_max_m, phenology, light_need, propagation, common_names)
SciELO — Carqueja (Baccharis trimera): utilização terapêutica e biossíntese (functions, synonyms)
Lorenzi & Matos, Plantas Medicinais no Brasil: Nativas e Exóticas (pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years, time_to_first_harvest_months, frost_tolerance_c)
Wikidata (wikidata_qid)