Pau d'Arco

Handroanthus impetiginosus, the pink ipê, pink lapacho or pink trumpet tree, is a tree in the family Bignoniaceae, distributed throughout North, Central and South America, from northern Mexico south to northern Argentina. Along with all the other species in the Handroanthus genus, it is the national tree of Paraguay. It is a large deciduous tree with a slow growth rate and brownish grey bark. The wood is yellowish, very tough and heavy, and rich in tannins, so it resists weather and sun. The inner bark is dried, shredded and boiled, making a bitter brownish tea known as lapacho or taheebo, typically used during flu and cold season and for easing smoker's cough. In ethnomedicine, lapacho plays an important role for several South American indigenous peoples. The main active compound, lapachol, has turned out to be toxic enough to kill fetuses in pregnant rats.