Bitter tea
Ilex kaushue

Family: Aquifoliaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows 8 m tall. The branches are brown, strong and have ridges along them. The leaves grow in the first and second year branches. The leaves are oblong and 10-18 cm long by 5-8 cm wide. They are leathery and have double teeth along the edge. Male and female flowers are separate. The fruit are round, red and 11 mm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In southern China it grows in dense forests between 1,000-1,200 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

It is used to make a bitter tree called kuding.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng; Ilex latifolia f puberula D. Fang & Z. M. Tan;