The Tabebuia, or Pau d’Arco is a large canopy tree that is native to the Amazon rain forest in Brazil. The tree can grow to 30 meters high and is known for its extravagant bloom of pink and violet flowers. While the tree is beautiful it is really the heartwood and inner bark of a particular species of the tree, the Tabebuia avellanedae, that is most prized.
The Tabebuia tree is known by many other names as well. Those names and its family, genus, and species can be found here.
Pau d’arco, roughly translated, means “bow tree”. Many South American tribes have used the wood of the Pau d’arco to make tools as well as for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. The ancient Aztecs, the Incas, and the Indio tribes of Brazil were known to use Pau d’arco.
During the 1960’s quite a bit of research was done showing it?s potential healing properties. More recently researchers such as Dr. Walter Accorsi, Dr. Theodoro Meyer, and Dr. Robert M. Nakamura have produced research showing the effectiveness of Pau d’arco or Taheebo. Many articles and books have been written on the subject as well. Patents have even been issued for some of the ingredients extracted from the Tabebuia tree – namely Lapachol.
Today Pau d’Arco or Taheebo can be found in nearly any health food store or health supplement related website. Many users have found that Pau d’arco tea, prepared properly is the most effective.
