Bitterwood, Amargo Bark
Quassia amara

Family: Simaroubaceae

What it is like

Quassia amara or commonly known as Bitterwood or Amargo is a small evergreen shrub growing only about 3 m in height. It bears a small drupe, red flowers, and compound, alternate leaves. Though it is mainly cultivated throughout Northern South America as an ornamental tree, it is also valued for its edible and medicinal uses. In particular, bark extracts are used as flavoring in drinks. Medicinally, all plant parts are useful. It restores appetite, stimulates digestion, and treats various conditions such as fever, measles, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, urinary tract disease, liver cirrhosis, alcoholism, diabetes, albuminuria, ulcers, smallpox, etc. Propagation can be through seeds and cuttings.

Quassia amara is an evergreen Shrub growing to 5 m (16ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Hummingbirds. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 5

Where it is found

An understorey plant in rainforests and humid sites.

Northern S. America - Guiana, northern Brazil and Venezuela.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Colombia; Mexico; Guatemala; Honduras; Nicaragua; Costa Rica; Panama; French Guiana; Guyana; Suriname; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Brazil; Guadeloupe; Martinique; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

The bitter principle found in the bark and wood is used as the basis of Angostura Bitters, which is used as a flavouring in gin-based drinks. It is also used as a substitute for hops when brewing beer.

Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.

Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 4

All parts of the plant contain a bitter principle called quassimarin. This has a range of medical properties including antileukaemic, antitumor, astringent, digestive, febrifuge, laxative, tonic and vermifuge. Quassimarin has been shown to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices, increase the appetite and aid digestion. It has been used successfully in the treatment of anorexia nervosa and is also used in the treatment of malaria and fevers. All parts of the plant can be used on their own or in combination to restore the appetite, stimulate digestion and combat fevers, including malaria. A tea made from the infused leaves is used to bathe the skin of measles patients. It is also used as a mouthwash after tooth extractions. A decoction of the bark is used as a blood purifier and to treat malaria, diarrhoea and dysentery. A decoction of the inner bark is used to treat colds. The stem and bark are used in remedies for treating diseases of the spleen, liver (cirrhosis), and urinary tract. The bark is used for treating the weak eyes of alcoholics and, macerated in rum, as a vermifuge. Combined with the macerated stem of Tinospora crispa in rum, cognac or absinthe, it is used to make a beverage for treating diabetes and albuminuria. A decoction of the wood is used in lotions as a wash for persistent venereal ulcers. A decoction of the bark and leaves is used as a wash to rid the skin of external parasites such as agouti lice and as a treatment for measles and smallpox. Stem-bark contains the insecticidal compounds neoquassine and quassine. Sap shows activity against cells derived from carcinoma of human nasopharynx. Plant extracts contain the antileukemic compounds quassimarin and similikalactone.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antitumor: Preventing, or effective against, tumors, it is used in the treatment of cancer. Probably synonymous with Cytotoxic.

Appetizer: Improves the appetite

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Blood purifier: Purifies the blood.

Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.

Digestive: Aids digestion.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.

Malaria: Treats malaria - an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites spread to people through the bites of mosquitos.

Mouthwash: Treats problems such as mouth ulcers.

Odontalgic: Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Parasiticide: Treats external parasites such as ringworm This should perhaps be joined with Parasiticide in

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).

Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.

Other

Rating: 2

Humid shade garden. large container. Accent. Botanic collection. Conservatory. Other Uses: All parts of the plant, but especially the bark and young stems, can be used as an insecticide. Crushed leaves, placed on body, reputedly act as a mosquito repellent.

Houseplant: A plant grown indoors for decorative purposes.

Insecticide: Kills insects.

Parasiticide: Kills external body parasites such as hair lice.

How it is grown

A plant for the humid tropics. Prefers a fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a partially shaded position. Bloom Color: Scarlet (Dark Red). Spacing: over 40 ft. (12 m).

Propagating it: Seed - Cuttings of half-ripe wood

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Hombre grande, Kwasibita, Asoemaripa, amargo, bitterholz, bitterholzbaum, bitterquassia, bitterwood, bois amer, crucete, cuasia, cuasia amarga, hombre grande, jamaica quassia, kvassia, kwasi beta|weradi sinchona, pau-amarelo, pau-amargo, pau-quássia, quassia, quassia amara, quassia de surinam, quassia surinam, quassia-wood, quassiae lignum, quassiaholzbaum, quassie, quina, quinarana, quinine de cayenne, quinine du pays, quássia-de-caiena, su, surinam quassia, wéwe gífi.

Synonyms

Quassia alatifolia Stokes Quassia officinalis Rich.