Huarango

A superb multipurpose tree for arid areas of the desert, on the southern coast of Peru. It is a very invasive tree that can grow to 10 m, as it has very deep and long roots it is the only tree that survives in these latitudes of the southern coast of Peru. In a vast desert, between sand dunes and dry basins it looks odd to find a river lined with green, robust Huarango trees. Since the birth of culture, and until today, the Huarango (or carob tree) has served all generations as a building material (Estaquería), to make farm tools, for fuel and even food. It has always been used for its hard wood, not only as firewood, but to make charcoal, a more affordable fuel for very limited local populations.