Plants

guaco

Mikania glomerata

Family: Asteraceae · Genus: Mikania

Secondary I Medium Mulch biomass

guaco — Eugenio Hansen, OFS · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

A perennial woody climber (liana) of the Asteraceae family, native to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern and southern Brazil, occurring along riverbanks, in forests and on floodplains. It has aromatic coumarin-scented leaves and climbs over trees and supports. Traditionally used in folk medicine for the respiratory system. It propagates readily from cuttings and is a hardy plant.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Secondary I
Ecological role: Early secondary
Primary stratum: Medium
Strata: Low, Medium, High
Biomass class: Mulch biomass

Environment

Light requirement: Partial sun
Water requirement: High
Drought tolerance: Low
Waterlogging tolerance: Moderate
Preferred soil texture: Sandy, Loamy
Hardiness zones: 9–11
Frost tolerance: -2.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 3–6 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Fast
Lifespan: 8–20 years
Time to first harvest: 6 months
Productive lifespan: 12 years

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Native

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Guaco takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I 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.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Train the liana over a support, pergola or stake and harvest leaves and young shoots in stages; it tolerates heavy pruning and resprouts vigorously. Cut back long runners to keep it within reach and to encourage new leaves, using the prunings as cuttings.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of guaco?

The first harvest of guaco comes around 6 months after planting.

How tall does guaco grow?

At maturity, guaco reaches 3–6 m tall.

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

In a syntropic system, guaco belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

Medicinal Aromatic

Propagation

Cutting, Seed

Citations

GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (scientific_name, gbif_taxon_key, family, genus)
Wikipedia (pt) — Mikania glomerata (description, common_names, propagation, soil_texture_preference, time_to_first_harvest_months)
SciELO — Farmacobotânica, fitoquímica e farmacologia do Guaco (functions, biomes)
Lorenzi & Matos, Plantas Medicinais no Brasil: Nativas e Exóticas (pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years, frost_tolerance_c)
Wikidata (wikidata_qid)