Hou Po Hua

Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. (Magnoliaceae) is a deciduous tree 8-20 m tall with a stout trunk, smooth grey bark, and large, obovate to oblong-obovate leaves 20-45 cm long clustered toward the ends of the branches. In late spring, large, fragrant, solitary, cup-shaped flowers 10-15 cm across open at the branch tips; the nine to twelve fleshy white tepals surround numerous spirally arranged stamens and a conical aggregate of carpels that later develops into a reddish-brown, cone-like aggregate of follicles releasing bright orange-red, arillate seeds. Native to the mountains of central and eastern China and long cultivated, the dried flower buds (Hou Po Hua) are harvested before opening and used in TCM as a milder, more aromatic counterpart to the bark to regulate qi, harmonize the middle burner, and resolve dampness.