What it's yerba mate
The botanical name is ilex paraguariensis.
A native plant from the subtropical forest in South America: Northern Argentina, Southern Brazil & Paraguay.
Yerba mate thrives in this small region of natural beauty, humid climate and red soil. In the wild this tree may reach up to 20 feet high.
When it's under cultivation, on the farm like a crop, the plant growth is limited as a shrub of 3 to 6 feet, that results in a higher quality of yerba mate and facilitating the harvesting of the leaves & stems by hand that takes place in the fall & winter ( April to September).
Green leaves are dried, shredded and storage for aging.