El Calafate

Die Stadt El Calafate hat ihren Namen von einer Art Blaubeere, die hier waechst. Es heisst, wenn man diese Beere isst, dann kommt man auf jeden Fall nach Patagonien zurueck. Wir haben bis jetzt diese Beeren noch nicht probiert ... aber wer weiss, vielleicht kommen wir ja doch irgendwann nochmal zurueck! Die Antarktis ruft auf jeden Fall sehr laut :-)

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The town El Calafate is named after a barberry. A Legend tells that anyone who eats a Calafate berry will be certain to return to Patagonia. Up to now we haven't had any yet but who knows... maybe we will be back in a couple of years since Antarctica is still calling :-)

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Foto: http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/display/2973267



The following text we found at Wikipedia:
Folgenden Text haben wir im Wikipedia dazu gefunden:

Berberis microphylla or Berberis buxifolia, common name the Magellan Barberry, in Spanish Calafate, is an evergreen shrub, with shiny box-like leaves. The Calafate is native to the south of Argentina and Chile and is a symbol of Patagonia.

The bush grows to a height of 1.0 to 1.5 m (3 ft 3 in to 4 ft 11 in). It has many arching branches, each covered in many tripartite spines. The bush has many small yellow flowers in summer. Its edible blue-black berries are harvested for jams, but are eaten fresh too - a legend tells that anyone who eats a Calafate berry will be certain to return to Patagonia.^{[citation needed]}

The Calafate is grown commercially for its fruit, potential medical uses and as a garden plant or bonsai. Its wood is used to make a red dye. The cultivar Berberis microphylla 'Nana' is widely available as a garden shrub, and is also used in commercial plantings as a low spiny hedge to discourage intruders, but it does not fruit.