Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum (ju hua, 菊花) is one of the great flowers of Chinese tea. The small white and yellow blossoms have been brewed in China for more than a thousand years — on their own and alongside tea.

Taste and aroma in tea

A chrysanthemum infusion is pale and honeyed-herbal, with a light noble bitterness and a long floral finish. The most famous blossoms are grown around Hangzhou (hangbaiju, 杭白菊) and in Huangshan. In blends chrysanthemum works well with oolong and especially with ripe pu-erh: the famous juju-pu pairing (菊普) — chrysanthemum with pu-erh — softens the earthiness of aged tea and freshens the cup.

In the Chinese tradition

The chrysanthemum is the flower of autumn and one of the “Four Gentlemen” of Chinese culture, a symbol of endurance and clarity. In traditional thinking its infusion is “cooling”: chrysanthemum is said to help with heat and tired eyes, to brighten the gaze and calm irritation. So chrysanthemum tea is taken on hot days, after long work and after rich meals.

How to brew

Brew the blossoms with water at 90–95 °C; they float up quickly and give their flavour within the first minute. Chrysanthemum holds several infusions, growing softer and sweeter with each one.