As seen in these photos, the mate tree suffers a significant variation in size and shape when cultivated compared to the native trees. This variation not only affects the size and shape of the tree, but also the flavor of the mate, and probably its chemistry too. This is due to a series of factors, the most important being the amount of sunshine received by the plant and the amount of nitrogen in the soil.

According to P. Mazzafera, professor of biology, the amount of xanthene alkaloids in the leaves of mate is directly related to the quality of the soil. This influences the flavor of the mate giving it a milder or bitterer taste. This flavor varies from region to region, the soil of southern Brazil presenting drastic variations in mineral content, texture, and organic mass. The tendency though, is for the cultivated mate to have a stronger bitterness, and probably higher xanthene content. The native trees, which grow in the nitrogen-rich topsoil of the Paraná Pine forests, tend to have a milder bitterness, characterized by a stronger leafy flavor. Obtaining the right balance of these is the secret to having a stable, fresh tasting mate.

The factor that characterizes the size and shape of the trees is the amount of sunlight received. In the dense subtropical forest, the fight for sunlight has developed the trees so that they have long slender trunks with a large leafy top. This applies to the native mate trees, which develop a longer trunk, reaching 15 meters tall to reach the sunlight. The cultivated trees are pruned to spread, creating large bushes, which rarely develop large trunks. They are carefully harvested each season to maintain the bush-like shape which eases the labor in harvesting.

The leaves also present a difference in size and shape. The native leaves are usually smaller and darker in color. The cultivated leaves are larger, and occasionally, the serrated edge of the leaf becomes less evident.

One of the obstacles faced by cultivated mate is the weeds. The use of herbicides is widespread in cultivated areas, therefore posing threats to the natural balance of the tropical forests. Though it helps yield to a grater production per acre, the use of herbicides has been proven unhealthy and the poisons may find their way into the final product. This obstacle is faced when organically certifying large plantations. For this reason, The Mate Factor has chosen plantations that are surrounded by native forest. This avoids all possibility of contamination. The International Organic Regulations are followed in all of our certified plantations.

Native mate doesn’t face the same challenge, as the weeds do not grow in the dense forest. Most native mate is, by default, organic. We have all our native areas certified, though and conduct extraction in a manner that doesn’t damage the other vegetation in the forest.

Please Note: This description fits the Yerba Mate grown and processed by Tribal Brasil® for The Mate Factor and Tribal Trading Company only and should not be considered fitting to describe processing or cultivating of mate by other companies or groups.