Ugni molinae

Ugni molinae, commonly known as Chilean guava berry,[1] or strawberry myrtle,[1] is a shrub native to Chile and adjacent regions of southern Argentina.

It was introduced to England in 1844 by the botanist and plant collector William Lobb, where it became a favorite fruit of Queen Victoria.

Sometime prior to 1896 Ugni molinae was introduced to Robinson Crusoe Island where it became an invasive species colonizing open patches and forming dense brushes.

The usage of the fruit in cuisine is limited to southern Chile where it grows natively as well as in small-scale commercial agriculture in New Zealand.

It is used to make the traditional liqueur Murtado that is made of aguardiente and sugar flavoured by conserving murtas inside the bottle.

Berries picked and destalked ready for cooking