Houpu Magnolia

Magnolia officinalis, the houpu magnolia, is a deciduous tree native to the mountains and valleys of China at 300 to 1,500 metres. It grows to 20 metres, with thick brown bark, broad ovate leaves 20 to 40 centimetres long, and fragrant white flowers 10 to 15 centimetres wide from May to June. Two varieties are described, one of which, var. biloba, is known only in cultivation and may be a cultigen rather than a true variety. It differs very little from Magnolia obovata, the only consistent difference being the fruit base. The highly aromatic bark is stripped from stems, branches and roots and used in traditional Chinese medicine as hou po, which gives the plant its common name. Its traditional uses are to eliminate damp and phlegm and to relieve distension. The bark is now sourced mainly from cultivated plants.