Quassia Wood and Quassia Chips: What They Are and How They Are Used

By Suhail Rivera, JD, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

Quassia wood is the heartwood of a small tropical tree, sold in cut chips and known for a bitterness that is hard to overstate. It is a plant with an unusual history, since the genus itself is named after the enslaved man who first showed it to European botanists. Here is what the wood is, why it is so bitter, chips versus shavings, how to brew it, what it tastes like, and how it has traditionally been used outside a cup.

What quassia wood is

Quassia wood most often refers to Quassia amara, a small tree native to Central and South America and the Caribbean. A related tree, Picrasma excelsa, grows in Jamaica and is sold under the same common name, quassia or Jamaica quassia. Both are cut from the heartwood, the dense inner wood of the trunk, rather than the bark or leaves.

The genus Quassia is named for Graman Quassi, an enslaved man in eighteenth century Surinam who knew the tree and its use, and whose knowledge reached Carl Linnaeus and the botanists of his era. Very few plant genera carry the name of the person who taught science about them. This one does.

Why it is one of the most bitter substances known

Quassia wood owes its reputation to compounds called quassinoids, and the main one, quassin, is regularly cited among the most bitter naturally occurring substances ever measured. The human tongue can detect quassin at extraordinarily low concentrations, far below what most bitter foods or drinks require to register. That bitterness does not fade with time or dilute easily with sugar. It is simply what the wood tastes like, and the point of a cup is to taste it.

Chips versus shavings

Both names describe the same cut heartwood, just at different stages or from different suppliers. Chips are small, irregular pieces, usually pale yellow to tan, cut or broken from the wood. Shavings are thinner, closer to curls, cut across the grain rather than broken off. In a cup the two behave almost the same: both are dense wood pieces that need real steeping time to release their bitterness, and both can be reused for a second brew. What we carry is cut chips.

How to make quassia tea

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chips to 8 ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 3 to 7 minutes, then strain. That window is short on purpose. Most woods and barks want ten minutes or longer, but quassia gives up its bitterness fast, and a long steep produces a cup most people will not finish. Start short the first time you brew it.

The chips are sturdy enough that many people brew the same batch twice, though the second cup is milder.

What quassia wood tastes like

Intensely bitter, with almost no sweetness to soften it. It is not the pleasant bitterness of dark chocolate or coffee. People generally do not sweeten it into something enjoyable to sip; they drink a small cup, on purpose, as the wood is meant to be taken. If you have tried a very strong bitters tincture, this is that same bitterness in tea form.

Traditional non drink uses

Quassia wood has a history outside the teacup too. Chips and shavings have traditionally been steeped in water and used around gardens as an insect deterrent, since the bitterness that repels the human tongue does the same to many pests. It has also shown up in older brewing traditions as a bittering agent, in the same family of use as hops. These are traditional uses, not claims about what the wood does, and we are not suggesting it treats or prevents anything, in any context.

Where to get quassia wood

We sell Quassia Chips, 4 oz, cut from the heartwood of Quassia amara, one ingredient and nothing added. A four ounce bag lasts a long time, since a serving is only a tablespoon or two and the chips can be brewed more than once. Keep it sealed and away from light. We cover the brewing method in more detail in How to Make Tea with Quassia Chips.

Who should ask first

• Anyone pregnant or nursing should talk to a doctor before drinking quassia.
• Anyone under 18 or managing a health condition should ask a doctor before trying it.
• Anyone taking medication should ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
• Treat it as an occasional cup rather than a daily habit, and start with a short steep and a small amount.

Suhail Rivera, JD, is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop. She has spent years sourcing, handling, and selling the herbs she writes about, working directly with growers and third party testing labs. She holds a Juris Doctor. She is not a medical professional, and her articles are for general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any herb, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition. Read more about her and the store on the About page.