Latin Name
Magnolia liliflora (or M. denudata)

General Description
More accurately described as magnolia buds, this herb is the unopened magnolia flower. Chinese medicine practitioners prescribe it for blocked nasal and sinus passages. The best-quality buds are green and dry; they should include none of the stems or branches. The herb is characterized in traditional Chinese medicine as acrid and warm. Growing in several Chinese provinces, magnolia is harvested in early spring, before the flowers unfold.

Target Ailments

• Nasal congestion, nasal discharge, sinus headaches and other sinus disorders. (Taken internally.)

Preparations
Magnolia buds are available in bulk at Chinese pharmacies, Asian markets and some Western health food stores.
Combinations: Magnolia flowers are mixed with xanthium, angelica (Angelica dahurica) and field mint to treat nasal congestion and sinus headaches, and with chrysanthemum flowers (Chrysanthemum morifolium) and siegesbeckia for frontal sinusitis. Consult an herbal practitioner for details of other mixtures and doses.

Special Information

• In test tube-studies, magnolia flowers seemed to inhibit the growth of several fungi on the skin.