Pau d’arco Bark Powder Alpine Herb Company Inc.

Botanical Name: Tabebuia impetiginosa

Common Name:

• English: Pau d’arco bark, Taheebo
• Also, known as:  Pink Trumpet Tree, Tahuari, Taheebo, Trumpet Tree, Trumpet bush, Ipe-Contra-Sarna, Tabebuia Ipe, Tajy, Pink Trumpet Tree, Lavender Trumpet Tree, Ipe, Ipes, Taheebo, Poui, Ipe Roxo, Lapachobaum, Trompetenbaum, Feenkraut, Lapacho, Taheboo Tree, Ébénier de Guyane, Ébène Vert, Handroanthus impetiginosus, Lapacho Colorado, Lapacho Morado, Lébène, Paudarco, Purple Lapacho, Quebracho, Red Lapacho, Taheebo, Taheebo Tea, Thé Taheebo

Habitat: South America

Origin: Brazil

Harvested: Wild or cultivated

Parts Used: The dried and shredded inner bark, the heartwood

General Information:

Tabebuia impetiginosa, is a large tree growing up to 30 m in height and 3 m wide. Young trees may grow about 4-5 feet per year but at about 20 feet, growth slows considerably. It is deciduous in the dry season. When properly formed, the straight trunk divides into many erect branches supporting a medium-domed, vase-shaped crown. It is one of the most beautiful trees in the flower which has a place in most landscapes. The pau d’arco tree grows in the warm parts of Central and South America. The leaves are in opposite pairs, somewhat shiny, dark green above and paler below. The red flowers are 3-11 cm wide, sitting in dense clusters. The calyx is campanulate to tubular, mostly five-lobed, and looking like a trumpet. The colors of the corolla is pink or red and vary between the different species. The outside of the flower tube is either glabrous or pubescent. The fruit is a dehiscent pod, 10 to 50 cm long with numerous seeds. The pods often remain on the tree through the dry season until the beginning of the rainy time. The grayish bark is relatively smooth with shallow vertical furrows. The tree’s extremely hardwood makes it resistant to disease and decay. The inner bark of the tree is used medicinally.

Throughout South America, tribes living thousands of miles apart have employed it for various medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. Several Indian tribes of the rainforest have used pau d’arco wood for centuries to make their hunting bows; their common names for the tree mean “bow stick” and “bow stem.” Scientists have identified two active chemicals in pau d’arco. These chemicals are called naphthoquinones: lapachol and beta-lapachone. The tree also is popular with timber loggers and its high-quality wood is some of the heaviest, most durable wood in the tropics. Pau d’arco wood is widely used in the construction of everything from houses and boats to farm tools.

How to use:

Powdered Herb:

There are different ways to use powdered herb.

Food Preparation: You can add powdered herbs to any super food, herbal smoothie, sauces, spreads and even cookies. Also for children, you can mix powdered herbs with honey or glycerin to make a paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help the medicine go down. This method is also known as “Electuaries”.

Capsules: Encapsulating your own powdered herb at home, give you assurance that the contents of the capsules are pure herb and no filler or any other products. These capsules can be taken with liquid.

Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.

Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot. 

Precautions: 

You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.

All information on this website is for educational purposes ONLY.

This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.