Fukien Tea, Philippine tea tree
Carmona retusa
Family: Boraginaceae
What it is like
Carmona retusa or commonly known as Fukien Tea or Philippine Tea Tree is a 4 m tall deciduous well-branched shrub with small white flowers and small drupe fruits. The fruit is consumed raw while leaves infusion is used as a tea substitute. In the Philippines, the plant is considered as one of the most important medicinal plants. The leaves are used in the treatment of cough, diarrhoea, colic, and dysentery. The root is an antidote to plant-based poisoning and is used against haemorrhage and for cleaning the body after giving birth. C. retusa is also planted as an ornamental hedge. Found In: Asia, China, Hawaii, India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, USA. Other Names: Pala, Bapanaburi, Pitta, Pisniki, Barranki, Buri, Piccaka, Kuruvingi, Kalamoga, Kattuvettilai, Bute, Ennebutige, Kujapponno, Ponnomari, Fuku-man-gi, Icha.
Carmona retusa is an evergreen Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Open, dry, sunny habitats, such as thickets, shrub vegetation and teak forest at low and moderate elevations. Sandy soils and scrub forests. Usually occur in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands.
E. Asia - China, Japan, Indian subcontinent, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia and Solomon Islands.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Found In: Asia, China, Hawaii, India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, USA.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Fruit - raw. An infusion of the leaves is used as a substitute for tea. The leaves are dried in the shade and used as a tea. The fruit are eaten.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 4
The leaves are antidiarrhoeal, febrifuge and stomachic. An infusion is used as a remedy for stomach problems, dysentery and coughs. The root is considered an antidote against plant-based poisoning and an alterative in cachexia and syphilis. Furthermore, it is traditionally used to stop the haemorrhaging resulting from the bite of the viper Echis carinatus The roots are reported to be ingested to clean the body after childbirth. The plant has been shown to contain a range of medically active constituents. The leaves contain rosmarinic acid, flavonoid glycosides and triterpenoids. Rosmarinic acid, a phenylacrylic acid derivative, is a known inhibitor of histamine release and a methanol extract of the leaves has shown strong antihistamine release properties. In an experiment in the Philippines, tablets from the dried leaves reduced the formation of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes induced by mitomycin C, tetracycline, and dimethylnitrosamine. This suggests that these tablets possess antimutagenic activity The root bark contains ehretianone, microphyllone and ehretianone. Ehretianone, a quinonoid xanthene, has been shown to give protection against the action of snake venom. Microphyllone and ehretianone have shown antibacterial activity against a panel of bacteria. Many membes of this genus contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids and quinoid or phenolic compounds.
Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.
Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.
Antidote: Counters poisoning.
Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.
Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Other
Rating: 2
Other uses rating: Low (2/5). Agroforestry Uses: The plant can be grown as an ornamental hedge.
Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.
Hedge: Hedge
How it is grown
The plant has escaped from cultivation in Hawaii and become naturalized in secondary vegetation. Plants can flower all year round.
Propagating it: Seed, Cuttings, preferably of top shoots or young leafy shoots. The roots develop slowly over a period of 1-2 months.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
May be a noxious weed or invasive. An invasive weed in Hawaii where it is a popular ornamental plant.
Its other names
Local names
Carmona retusa or commonly known as Fukien Tea or Philippine Tea Tree. Other Names: Pala, Bapanaburi, Pitta, Pisniki, Barranki, Buri, Piccaka, Kuruvingi, Kalamoga, Kattuvettilai, Bute, Ennebutige, Kujapponno, Ponnomari, Fuku-man-gi, Icha.
Synonyms
Carmona heterophylla Cav. Carmona microphylla (Lam.) G.Don Cordia retusa Vahl Ehretia buxifolia Roxb