Guang Dong Magnolia Flower (Ye He Hua) 夜合花

Guang Dong Magnolia Flower, also commonly referred to as "The Happy Flower," comes from the exotic Guang Dong Magnolia Tree. In Southern China however, many will oftentimes refer to it as either Cantonese Albizzia Flower, Southern Albizzia Flower, or even as Hard Albizzia Flower. These names can cause some confusion since this flower is actually botanically completely different from Albizzia, which comes from the Mimosa Silk Tree. Nonetheless it is often associated with "True Albizzia" since it shares many similar attributes, and is commonly used for the same purposes.

This flower is especially popular in Southern Chinese Culture for its use when one is experiencing emotional problems such as broken heart, or when one has experienced some form of great loss. However it is generally used to help in instances where one may be experiencing periods of excessive worry, over stress, symptoms of paranoia, fright, or even just general insomnia or anxiety.

Because of its ability to move Qi, dispel stasis and resolve depression, Guang Dong Magnolia Flower is considered to be a Shen Tonic that nourishes the heart and generally strengthens the body. This flower is believed in Chinese Tonic Herbalism to be one of the great "Shen Tonics," as it possesses the ability to alleviate, and some even say to block anger.

The more common Soft Albizzia, or "True Albizzia," possesses many of the same great qualities of Guang Dong Magnolia Flower, with the exception that it lacks the ability to block anger in the same way. This is what makes Guang Dong Magnolia unique, and this is also the reason that it is readily sought after by connoisseurs as well as those others who simply already know.

Calming, Not Sedating

The effect of Guang Dong Magnolia is calming, yet without being sedative. This is very important because most herbs that we find that are specifically used for Stress Relief also happen to be very sedating. This is not helpful if we find ourselves beginning to become overwhelmed yet still have much work to get finished. These situations require stabilization, not sedation, and it's this stabilizing effect or quality upon the mind/body which is what we refer to when we call Guang Dong Magnolia a "Shen Tonic."

Guang Dong Magnolia Flower vs. St. John's Wort?

Guang Dong Magnolia is superior to herbs such as St. John's Wort in addressing mild or general type depressions, as its action is regulatory and adaptogenic. This means that its action is not like a drug, it will not push the body in one direction and create a kind of pendulum effect after its action wears off.

Many people who have tried St. John's Wort will readily acknowledge that it seemed to work quite nicely at first, yet after the effect of the herb wore off they very noticeably became quite irritable. Effectively their general disposition and mood actually became worse as compared to when they first consumed St. John's Wort to begin with. This negative pendulum type hangover effect of St. John's Wort is why it's simply an inferior herb. Guang Dong Magnolia on the other hand does not have this pendulum or hangover effect, as again it's action is regulatory. So even after it wears off, generally one's mood still feels calm, stable, and amiable.

Take a Sip

These flowers do make a wonderfully uplifting Tea, and they can be infused by themselves or they can be just readily added to your favorite tea. When adding them to your tea it's also not uncommon to simply throw a few of these beautiful flowers into ones cup, and to let them float freely inside the cup while taking sips.

Brewing Guide: Add 0.1 to 0.2 oz. of Albizzia per 8 fl.oz. of water/ simmer for 8 minutes... or simply add a few flowers to your favorite tea.

Origin: Guangdong, China