sterculia tea Sterculia lychnophora tea pang da hai

LATIN NAME: STERCULIA LYCHNOPHORA

COMMON NAME: Sterculia Tea, Pang Da Hai, Boat-fruited Sterculia

The sterculia tea, known in the old traditions as pang da hai, is made from the large, hard seeds of one of the most unusual of the tropical trees, and its remarkable swelling in hot water has made it a favourite of the tea houses and the herbal cupboards of the East. The sterculia grows as a tall, evergreen tree of the mallow family, reaching up to thirty metres or more, with a straight trunk and a spreading crown of the large, palmately lobed, bright-green leaves, and, in the warm season, clusters of the small, greenish flowers, followed by the large, woody, boat-shaped pods which contain the several hard, olive-like seeds. The seeds are gathered, dried and used to make a soothing infusion, and the tree is known as the sterculia, the boat-fruited sterculia or the pang da hai.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The sterculia tea has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the chemistry and the natural-products science, since the sterculia seeds contain a large quantity of mucilage and other compounds which cause them to swell dramatically in the water, and the researchers have examined the seeds, their constituents and their composition, while the study of the mucilaginous seeds and their properties has drawn attention in the international natural-products press, and the tea is best appreciated as a soothing infusion and a subject of study rather than a casual remedy. The plant has also been studied in the botany and the tropical forestry, since the sterculia is a member of the mallow family and a large tree of the tropical forests, and the researchers have examined its classification, its relationships and its distribution across the warm regions, while the large, boat-shaped pods and the hard seeds of the sterculia have been of interest to the botanists. The species has also been studied in the horticulture and the cultivation, since the sterculia is grown in the gardens and the plantations of the warm regions, and the researchers have examined its cultivation and its harvest, while the remarkable swelling of the seeds in hot water has been of interest to the scientists and the tea drinkers. For a tea of such unusual character, the sterculia has a rich and distinguished record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

To grow the Sterculia from seed, ecologically, the sterculia is a tall tree of the tropical forests and the warm gardens. Its large, lobed leaves give a deep shade in the warm climate, and its flowers feed the bees and the insects of the warm season, while its large, woody pods and their seeds feed the birds and the small animals of the forest. Its economic value is real: the sterculia seeds are prized as a soothing tea in the old traditions of the East, and their value has drawn attention in the international food and trade press, while the remarkable swelling of the seeds in hot water has made them a favourite of the tea houses, and the tree is a fine addition to the warm garden and the plantation. To raise the sterculia, press the large seeds into pots of moist, open compost in a warm, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the warmth.

press the large seeds into pots of moist, open compost in a warm, bright place, keep the young sterculia gently watered, and grow the little trees on in the warmth.

Properties and Taste:  Sweet and cold   Meridians:  Lung and large intestine   Functions:  To clear heat in the lungs and promote the dispersing function of Qi in the lungs To moisten the intestines and move feces   Indications and Combinations:  1.     Failure of lung Qi to disperse, resulting in accumulation of heat in the lungs manifested as sore throat, coarse voice, cough with yellow, thick and sticky sputum, sputum difficult to expectorate. *Use with Platycodon root (Jiegeng), Cicada slough (Chantui), Mentha (Bohe) and Licorice root (Gancao).  The herb can also be used alone in boiled water as tea. 2.      Constipation due to accumulation of heat. *Use alone in boiled water as tea, or it combine it with other herbs that move stool.   Dosage:  3-5 g (The dosage for powder form should be halved.)