The magnolia tree is a popular sight in the South, common on antebellum plantations and front lawns. Historically, the magnolia is known around the world for medicinal purposes. In Asia,
it is believed that a tea made from the flower dissipates heat and alleviates pain; it is used to treat headache, stuffy nose and a hot face or head. Mexican herbalists call magnolia “flor de corazan”, or ‘flower of the heart’, a reference to the supposed benefits of drinking a blossom tea to strengthen the heart. The Aztecs ground magnolia tree bark into a fine powder for use in teas to promote heart stimulation, and their name for magnolia means “heart flower”. The Aztecs also used this tea for senility and mental stupor. Chinese herbalists use magnolia bark tea to treat a number of ailments, including stomach distress, asthma, cough and colds.
