Bougainvillea and cinnamon tissane 

Mexico inspired this recipe and gave me an idea of how to use the magenta bougainvillea flowers in my yard. For generations, té de bugambilia has been used in Mexico as a cure for colds, the flu, and coughs. Though not very flavorful on their own, bougainvillea flowers when mixed with cinnamon, lime juice, and a bit of honey make a comforting and colorful concoction. 

Bougainvillea flowers aren’t all they seem to be

The colors of bougainvillea flowers are magnificent in their shades of magenta, purple, pink, fuschia, orange, salmon… But in fact the colorful parts of the plant aren’t flowers. They are leaves, technically known as bracts. Their purpose is to cover and protect the actual flowers which are very small, white, and remarkably unnoticeable. 

What’s behind a name

Native to Brazil, bougainvilleas are named for an early French navigator, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, who landed in Rio de Janeiro in 1767. Portuguese, English, Spanish, and other colonials soon after discovered the plant and propagated it in respective colonies. It’s why you find the plant in Africa, Asia, Southern Europe, Australia, and throughout the Americas. In Nigeria, people use the plant to treat inflammation and relieve pain; in Thailand to relieve stomachache and reduce nausea; and in india, to help with ailments from heartburn to hepatitis. 

Brewing bougainvillea and cinnamon tissane

While the antiseptic and anti inflammatory properties of bougainvillea are well known this tea is most commonly used to treat a cough. Many traditional recipes only use bougainvillea and lime. Cinnamon is commonly added as are cloves and other spices.