Hangzhou, Zhejiang (Hang ju) and Anhui (Chu ju) — chrysanthemum cultivation for tea dates to the Song Dynasty; the tea tradition is over 1,000 years old
Ju hua cha (chrysanthemum tea): dried chrysanthemum flowers brewed in hot water — one of the most important Chinese herbal teas. The most prized variety is Hangzhou's Hang ju (white chrysanthemum, delicate and fragrant) and Chu ju (from Anhui, golden, more robust). In TCM, chrysanthemum tea is cooling, used to treat heat conditions, eye strain, and hypertension. Often blended with wolfberry (goji) for sweet-sour contrast.
Delicate, floral, slightly bitter, clean — the cooling character of white chrysanthemum blossoms in water
{"Brew at 85°C — boiling water destroys the delicate floral compounds","Use 3–5 whole dried flowers per cup — more produces a bitter, medicinal flavour","Steep 3–5 minutes maximum for the floral version; longer for medicinal use","Chrysanthemum and wolfberry combination: the goji's sweetness balances the slight bitterness of chrysanthemum"}
{"Add a small piece of rock sugar when drinking for the traditional Cantonese tong sui pairing","Chrysanthemum tea is served year-round in Cantonese dim sum restaurants as a cooling alternative to pu-erh","Blend with green tea (2:1 chrysanthemum to green tea) for a fragrant daytime drink"}
{"Boiling water — destroys volatile aromatic compounds; floral notes are heat-sensitive","Too many flowers — becomes bitter and medicinal rather than fragrant","Using poor-quality dried flowers — cheap chrysanthemum has sulfur added as preservative; buy organic"}
Land of Fish and Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop