What Is Chrysanthemum Tea? Taste, Benefits & How to Brew

If you’ve ever finished a dim sum brunch with a pot of pale golden tea and a few flowers drifting at the bottom, you’ve already met chrysanthemum tea. People across the US and Canada love it because it’s light, floral, and caffeine-free, and it tastes just as good hot on a cold night as it does iced in August. Its story starts in China, where chrysanthemums were grown as a herb as early as 1500 BCE, and brewing them into tea caught on during the Song dynasty.

The tea never had a big North American launch. It arrived quietly with Chinese immigrant families, then settled into Chinatown dim sum houses and Asian grocery shelves as dried flowers, tea bags, and canned drinks. Singapore’s Yeo’s turned it into a grab-and-go drink, and the brand now has a well-established presence across the US and Canada. That fits a country where 159 million Americans drink tea on any given day. Here’s what’s actually in the cup, how it tastes, and how to make a great one at home.

What Is Chrysanthemum Tea?

Chrysanthemum tea is an herbal drink made by steeping dried chrysanthemum flowers in hot water. It’s a staple in China and much of East and Southeast Asia, and it’s one of the easiest floral teas to brew at home.

The Flower Behind the Cup

• Species: It’s made from Chrysanthemum morifolium or Chrysanthemum indicum, not the potted mums you see on porches in the fall.
• Plant family: Chrysanthemum belongs to the sunflower family, the same family as chamomile and daisies.
• What’s used: Dried whole flower heads or unopened buds.

Is It Really Tea?

• Technically, no: “True” tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Chrysanthemum tea is an herbal infusion, or tisane.
• In everyday terms, yes: Everyone calls it tea. In Chinese, it’s jú huā chá, which means “chrysanthemum flower tea.”
• Sometimes it’s blended: Mixed with green tea or pu-erh, it becomes a true tea blend.

Naturally Caffeine-Free

• Pure flowers: Chrysanthemum tea has no caffeine.
• Watch the blends: Versions like chrysanthemum pu-erh can contain caffeine when mixed with other teas.
• Best for: Evening cups, caffeine breaks, and anyone cutting back on coffee after noon.

How Chrysanthemum Tea Is Made

Making it is mostly about timing the harvest and drying the flowers well. The process is simple, but it decides how the tea tastes and how pretty it looks in the cup.

Picking the Flowers

• Harvest season: Fall. Huangshan yellow chrysanthemums are harvested in late October. viconyteas
• Where they grow: Most tea-grade flowers still come from China, especially Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces.
• Buds vs. blooms: Some flowers are picked fully open. Premium bud grades are picked from Hangzhou white chrysanthemums before they bloom.

Sun-Dried vs. Steamed

• Sun-dried: The traditional method. The flowers dry slowly and keep a soft, natural flavor.
• Steamed, then dried: Producers steam or sun-dry whole flower heads to lock in their aromatic compounds.
• Steamed and baked: The highest-grade buds go through careful steaming and baking.

Whole Flowers vs. Buds

• Whole flowers: They open up beautifully in a glass teapot.
• Buds: They’re compact and usually pricier, sold as a premium grade.
• Quality check: Good flowers hold their shape after steeping. Cheaper varieties tend to turn mushy and bitter.

Where Chrysanthemum Tea Comes From

Chrysanthemum tea goes back thousands of years in China. It started as an herb, became an everyday drink, and eventually traveled across Asia.

An Ancient Chinese Herb

• Early roots: Chrysanthemums are traditionally traced to herbal use in China as far back as 1500 BCE.
• A medicine-cabinet staple: Hangju, Boju, Chuju, and Gongju are the four main varieties listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
• Fit for an emperor: Huangshan Gongju was sent to the imperial court as tribute under the Guangxu Emperor.

Becoming a Tea in the Song Dynasty

• The turning point: Drinking chrysanthemums as tea became popular during the Song dynasty (960–1279).
• The refill ritual: After a pot is finished, hot water is poured over the same flowers again, often several times. Each round comes out a little lighter.

How It Spread Across Asia

• Korea: The Korean version, gukhwacha, uses dried Indian chrysanthemum gathered before the flowers fully open.
• Japan: In medieval Zen temples, monks enjoyed chrysanthemum flowers placed on green tea. jst
• Southeast Asia: Yeo’s yellow cans are a daily sight in coffee shops and supermarkets across Singapore and Malaysia.

How Chrysanthemum Tea Found Its Way to the US

There was no launch day and no ad campaign. Chrysanthemum tea came to North America the way many great foods do: through families, restaurants, and grocery stores in Chinese and Asian communities.

The Dim Sum Table

• The default pot: At dim sum, it’s the standard caffeine-free tea option.
• The rich-meal fix: Many diners order it blended with pu-erh, which helps cut through the richness of the meal.

Asian Grocery Aisles and Canned Drinks

• On the shelf: You’ll find it in Asian grocery stores outside Asia in cans and packs, as whole flowers or tea bags.
• The canned classic: Yeo’s brews its signature version from Hang Bai Ju chrysanthemum and sells it across Asia, Europe, and North America.
• Lunchbox size: Juice boxes, like the ones H Mart carries, made it an easy everyday drink.

Tea Shops and Home Brewers Today

• Loose flowers: Specialty tea sellers now offer loose Hangzhou chrysanthemum by the ounce.
• Iced and cold brew: It’s a natural fit for America’s iced tea habit.
• The caffeine-free crowd: People cutting back on caffeine are finding it as an alternative to chamomile and mint.

What Does Chrysanthemum Tea Taste Like?

Chrysanthemum tea is gentle. The cup is pale gold, and the smell hits first: floral and slightly sweet, a bit like honey and dried apple.

The body is light, closer to water than to a strong black tea. Tao of Tea describes buttery licorice notes, mild sweetness, and a pleasant bite in its version.

The finish is clean, with a faint bitterness at the back of the tongue. Steep it too long or use cheap flowers, and that bitterness takes over. A little rock sugar or honey smooths it out, which is how many families serve it.

Types of Chrysanthemum Tea

Not all chrysanthemum tea is the same. These are the varieties you’re most likely to see.

Variety	Where It’s Grown	What It’s Known For
Hangbaiju (Hangju)	Zhejiang Province	The most common tea chrysanthemum: sweet, delicate, and holds its shape
Gongju (Huangshan Gongju)	Huangshan, Anhui	“Tribute chrysanthemum,” once sent to the imperial court
Chuju	Chuzhou, Anhui	Prized for its fragrance
Boju	Bozhou, Anhui	Mostly used as a medicinal grade
Bud chrysanthemum	Tongxiang, Zhejiang	Picked before blooming; a premium grade with a honey-like scent

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Chrysanthemum Tea vs. Chamomile Tea

These two are cousins. Both come from the sunflower family, both are caffeine-free, and both are evening favorites. They just take different paths to the cup.

How Each One Is Made

Chrysanthemum tea uses dried chrysanthemum flower heads or buds, mostly grown in China. You steep them whole, and they stay visible in a glass pot.

Chamomile tea uses small, dried daisy-like chamomile flowers. In the US, it’s usually sold chopped up in tea bags.

How They Differ

Chrysanthemum tastes floral and crisp, with a slight bitter edge and a cooling finish. Chamomile is rounder and sweeter, with an apple-and-hay flavor.

Chamomile is America’s go-to herbal tea. It’s the largest segment of US herbal tea production. Chrysanthemum is better known in Asian households and dim sum restaurants.

	Chrysanthemum Tea	Chamomile Tea
Plant	Chrysanthemum morifolium / indicum	Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Origin	China	Europe and Western Asia
Flavor	Floral, light, slightly bitter, cooling	Sweet, apple-like, mellow
Caffeine	None	None
Common form in the US	Whole dried flowers, canned drinks	Tea bags
Typical add-ins	Rock sugar, goji, pu-erh	Honey, lemon

Chrysanthemum Tea Calories and Caffeine

Plain chrysanthemum tea is close to zero calories. The numbers only change once sugar gets involved.

Version (8 oz)	Calories	Sugar	Caffeine
Plain brewed	About 0–2	0 g	0 mg
With 1 tsp rock sugar	About 16	About 4 g	0 mg
Canned or boxed (ready-to-drink)	Varies by brand	Usually sweetened	0 mg
Blended with pu-erh or green tea	About 0–2	0 g	Varies

Chrysanthemum Tea Benefits: What We Actually Know

Chrysanthemum tea has a long reputation in traditional medicine. Modern science hasn’t caught up with most of it yet, so it’s worth separating tradition from evidence.

Traditional Uses

• Cooling drink: In Chinese tradition, it’s drunk to “cool” the body, especially in hot weather.
• Eyes: Traditional Chinese medicine links it with clearer, less tired eyes.
• Colds and fever: It’s commonly reached for when someone feels under the weather.
• Heavy meals: It’s often served with greasy or rich food, like dim sum.

What the Research Says

• Antioxidants: Phenolic compounds and chlorogenic acids are credited with its antioxidant effects.
• Lab results only: Lab studies point to effects like reducing inflammation, but human studies are lacking.
• Traditional claims untested: Its traditional uses for colds, fever, and high blood pressure haven’t been studied in humans.
• The simple win: It’s an unsweetened, caffeine-free way to stay hydrated.

How to Make Chrysanthemum Tea at Home

Brewing chrysanthemum tea takes about five minutes, and you don’t need special equipment.

What You’ll Need

• Dried chrysanthemum flowers or buds
• Hot water
• A teapot, ideally glass so you can watch the flowers open
• A strainer
• Optional: rock sugar, honey, or goji berries

No teapot? A large mug works. Cover it with a saucer while it steeps and pour through a strainer.

No temperature-control kettle? Bring the water to a boil, then let it sit for about a minute.

Step-by-Step Brewing

1. Rinse the flowers. Give 5–7 dried flowers (about 1 teaspoon) a quick rinse in cool water.
2. Warm the teapot. Swirl some hot water inside, then pour it out.
3. Add the flowers and water. Use about 8 oz of water at roughly 195–208°F.
4. Steep for 3–5 minutes. Stop when the tea turns a light yellow.
5. Sweeten if you like. Rock sugar is the classic choice. Honey works too.
6. Refill. Pour fresh hot water over the same flowers for a second or third cup.

Iced and Cold Brew Version

For iced tea, brew it double-strong and pour it over a full glass of ice.

For cold brew, combine the same amount of flowers with cold water and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, then strain. To sweeten, use simple syrup or honey syrup, which brings out the tea’s honey notes.

Tips for a Better Cup

• Don’t boil the flowers. Steep them; boiling pulls out bitterness.
• Don’t oversteep. Past 5 minutes, the flavor gets sharp.
• Buy whole flowers. Flowers that hold their shape usually mean better quality.
• Store them dry. Keep flowers in an airtight container away from light and moisture.
• Pair it with good gear. A glass teapot and a temperature-control kettle make a big difference. You’ll find teas and tea gear in the tea section on Lovers Coffee.

Popular Chrysanthemum Tea Blends

Chrysanthemum plays well with others. These are the combinations you’ll see most often.

Chrysanthemum and Goji

• What it is: Chrysanthemum flowers steeped with a few dried goji berries.
• Why people love it: The goji adds a gentle sweetness and a pop of red color.

Honey Chrysanthemum

• What it is: Chrysanthemum tea sweetened with honey. Some versions preserve the flowers in honey for three to four weeks.
• Why people love it: It’s softer and rounder, which makes it a good starter cup.

Chrysanthemum Pu-erh

• What it is: Chrysanthemum blended with earthy pu-erh tea.
• Why people love it: It’s a dim sum classic. Note that this blend does contain caffeine.

Chrysanthemum With Green Tea

• What it is: A few flowers added to a pot of green tea.
• Why people love it: You get green tea’s grassy notes with a floral lift.

A Cup Worth Slowing Down For

Chrysanthemum tea has been around for centuries and still feels easy to love. It began as a Chinese herb, became a court favorite and a dim sum staple, and now shows up in Asian grocery aisles and tea shops across North America. The flavor is light, floral, and quietly sweet, with no caffeine to keep you up at night. A handful of dried flowers, hot water, and five minutes is all it takes, whether you drink it hot from a glass pot, iced on a summer afternoon, or blended with pu-erh after a big meal.

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