A deciduous tree growing to 20m in height. The bark is thick and brown but does not fissure. The leaves are broad, ovate, 20-40 cm long and 11-20 cm broad. The flowers are fragrant, 10-15 cm wide, with 9-12 (rarely to 17) white tepals, and appear from May to June.

Emmenagogue (flowers); antiseptic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, appetizer, diuretic, expectorant, hypotensive, stomachic and tonic (stem bark); bactericidal, digestive and stomachic (plant)

Plants For A Future

Alpha-pinene, anonaine, beta-pinene, caffeic acid, cyanidin, honokiol, kaempferol, liriodenine, magnocurarine, magnoflorine, quercetin (plant); beta-eudesmol, bornyl acetate, camphene, caryophyllene epoxide (essential oil); magnolol (bark)

The flowers are used in the treatment of abdominal distension, shortness of breath etc. The bark is used internally in the treatment of abdominal distension, loss of appetite, gastro-enteritis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, amenorrhea, menstrual cramps, asthma and coughs with acute phlegm. It has also been indicated for Alzheimer's disease and is currently getting much press as a "cortisol", a stress hormone-lowering supplement. Cortisol has also been associated with weight gain (particularly fat in the abdominal area), sugar control problems, memory problems, and a host of other stress induced disorders.

Contraindicated for pregnant women.

Jing-Nuan Wu. An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica. P: 416, Oxford University Press, Inc.2005.