Paullinia cupana GUARANA (5 seeds)

Guarana, or Paullinia cupana in Latin, is an exotic plant with medium growth that belongs to the Sapindaceae family. It is a non-hardy climbing shrub that grows in Brazil within the Amazon rainforest of South America. It uses the trees of the tropical forest as supports to reach the light of the canopy. In these conditions, it can measure between 10 and 12 meters in length. To facilitate the harvesting of its fruits, producers often prune it to maintain a shrubby or bushy habit, keeping it at a height of 2 to 3 meters. A Guarana plant can live and produce for 40 to 50 years, beginning to yield its first fruits around the age of 3.

Its leaves are evergreen, alternate, and pinnately compound, with five oval and leathery leaflets. They can reach an impressive size, sometimes exceeding 20 centimeters in length. As a vine, it uses tendrils emerging from the leaf axils to climb forest trees.

The flowering appears in the form of long clusters that can reach 30 centimeters in length. The flowers are small, greenish-white or cream in color, and give off a subtle fragrance. They are unisexual, but male and female flowers coexist on the same inflorescence.

Its fruit is a capsule about the size of a hazelnut, with a color varying from orange-yellow to bright red at maturity. Its most striking feature is its appearance when opening: the capsule splits partially, revealing a fleshy white pulp surrounding a black seed.

Guarana seeds are globular, measuring 1 cm in diameter, and are shiny black or very dark brown. They are the most valuable part of the plant due to their exceptional concentration of guaranine (caffeine).

- Properties:

Beverages: This is the most widespread use across the globe. In Brazil, guarana soda is a true national institution, sometimes outselling global cola brands. In the rest of the world, seed extracts are added to energy drinks and vitality "shots" to increase alertness and concentration, thanks to a caffeine release that is slower and more sustained than that of coffee.

Weight Management: Guarana is a star ingredient in phytotherapy products intended for weight management. Its fat-burning properties stimulate the basal metabolism, helping the body burn more calories at rest.

Traditional Medicine: For the Indigenous populations of the Amazon, such as the Maués, guarana has been used for centuries as a natural medicine. The seeds are traditionally dried, roasted, and then ground into a paste used to treat headaches, fevers, and digestive disorders. It is also consumed as a natural appetite suppressant during long forest expeditions or periods of ritual fasting.
Do not consume for psychoactive or medicinal effects; cultivate solely for the preservation of the botanical species.

- Germination and Sowing:

• The ideal period for sowing guarana is in June or July when temperatures are sufficiently warm.
• Plant the seeds 1 cm deep in previously moistened peat.
• Use small pots (10 x 10 cm).
• Water copiously upon planting.
• Place the pots in a greenhouse at a high temperature between 30°C and 35°C.
• Germination is slow, generally occurring after 6 to 8 weeks.

- Soil Type / Substrate:

Guarana requires deep, fertile soil very rich in humus. It prefers acidic soils. The substrate must be perfectly draining while having a high water retention capacity. In cultivation, a mix of 60% leaf mold, 30% peat, and 10% coarse sand is often used to replicate the original forest floor.

- Exposure / Sunlight:

In its natural environment, it is an understory vine that climbs toward the light. It appreciates bright exposure but without burning direct sunlight, which could damage its foliage. Partial shade or light filtered through a canopy is ideal. Indoors, an east or west-facing window with a sheer curtain is perfect.

- Temperature / Hardiness:

This plant is absolutely not hardy and dies as soon as temperatures drop below 10°C. It requires constant tropical heat, ideally between 22°C and 30°C all year round.

- Watering / Water Needs:

Its watering needs are very high and constant. The substrate must always remain moist without being saturated. Ambient humidity is equally crucial and should be above 70%.

- Multiplication:

Propagation is mainly done by seed. It can also be multiplied by semi-hardwood stem cuttings or aerial layering (marcottage), methods that help preserve the productive characteristics of the mother plants.

- Pests / Diseases:

In an atmosphere that is too dry, "warana" (guarana) is very sensitive to red spider mites and mealybugs. It can also be subject to fungal diseases if ventilation is insufficient despite the humidity.