Register-Herald - Published: October 11, 2007 05:48 pm 
Rare find
Beckley physician researching North America’s only native tea tree
HINTON — A Beckley physician believes America’s only native tea plant has the potential to be harvested for tea production in the United States.
Dr. Hassan Amjad, who is also a botanist, learned about the Franklinia alatamaha, a rare plant discovered in the 1700s that grew only in one spot along the Altamaha River at Fort Barrington in southeast Georgia.
“This is our own North American tea plant,” Amjad said. “For centuries, we’ve been importing tea from all over the world, and we had this plant right here on our own continent. Unless you are a die-hard horticulturist, you would never know this plant is here.”
Peter Heus of Enchanter’s Garden in Hinton said the plant disappeared by 1850 or so, and all plants existing today have been grown from seeds or seedlings of those originally discovered.
“It no longer exists in the wild. All plants today are its descendants. It’s a mysterious plant, for sure,” Heus said.
Amjad said no one knows exactly where the plant originated.
“Some people think it was transported by birds from South America; others think the French might have brought it from Malaysia. That’s all still a big mystery,” Amjad said.
Because of its rarity, Native Americans probably did not use the tea leaves for medicinal value, he said.
“It’s like finding another species of coffee,” Heus said. “If you found another species of coffee, that would be equally significant to finding this Franklinia tea.”
Discovered by botanists John and William Bartram, the tea plant was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. One of its significant characteristics is that the tea has no caffeine, Heus said. “It’s decaffeinated tea ready to go straight off the plant.”
Until now, it has been grown primarily as an ornamental plant. Amjad said he wants to explore the possibilities of using the Franklin tea tree for medicinal purposes.
Its natural decaffeination makes the tea more healthful, Amjad said.
“When you decaffeinate tea or coffee, you have to add chemicals that have carcinogens in them. Nature has already decaffeinated this tea, which makes it more like a white tea,” he said.
Amjad, a herbalist, believes the tea has great medicinal potential. “It would require much more research and a wider range of testing, but I believe this plant has agents within it that could help to fight certain types of cancer, multiple sclerosis, certain types of infections and possibly, the HIV virus.”
Both men say the tree can grow in West Virginia. Despite the drought, the one growing at Enchanter’s Garden put out a wealth of blooms this year.
“When you look at it in full bloom, it resembles a tea plant,” Amjad said. “It will take time to see which season of the year is best to take the leaves off.”
Younger leaves would have more of a medicinal effect, he said.
To Amjad’s knowledge, the plant is not harmful to humans. “Butterflies like this tree, and that’s a good sign because they tend to stay away from plants that are poisonous. It has been tested on a limited number of people, and as yet, there have been no harmful effects,” he said.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com
