Chrysanthemum tea facts for kids

Chrysanthemum tea is a popular and tasty drink made from the dried flowers of the chrysanthemum plant. It's especially loved in countries across East Asia and Southeast Asia.

This special tea first appeared in Imperial China around 1500 BCE, where chrysanthemums were grown as a herb. Later, during the Song Dynasty, it became a very popular tea. In China, people often add hot water to the same flowers in their teapot several times. This makes the tea a little less strong each time.

To make chrysanthemum tea, you usually steep dried chrysanthemum flowers in hot water. The water is often around 90 to 95 degrees Celsius (which is hot, but not boiling). You can add the flowers to a teapot, a cup, or a glass. Sometimes, people add rock sugar or cane sugar to make it sweeter. The finished drink is clear and can be a light or bright yellow color. It has a lovely floral smell.

Different Kinds of Chrysanthemum Tea

Chinese Varieties

There are many kinds of chrysanthemum flowers used to make tea. They can be white, light yellow, or bright yellow. Some popular types include:

• Huángshān-gòngjú (黄山贡菊): This means "Yellow Mountain tribute chrysanthemum." It's also called gòngjú (贡菊).
• Hángbáijú (杭白菊): This type comes from Tongxiang, near Hangzhou. It's also known as Hángjú (杭菊).
• Chújú (滁菊): This flower comes from the Chuzhou area in Anhui province.
• Bójú (亳菊): This variety is from the Bozhou area, also in Anhui.

The first two types, Huángshān-gòngjú and Hángbáijú, are the most common. Some chrysanthemum flowers used for tea have a clear yellow center, while others do not.

Korean Varieties

In Korea, chrysanthemum tea is called Gukhwacha (Hangul: 국화차; Hanja: 菊花茶). It's made from Indian chrysanthemum flowers that are picked before they fully open.

Here are some ways Gukhwacha is prepared:

• Chrysanthemum tea: The flowers are quickly dipped in water with bamboo salt, then carefully rinsed in cold water. After drying on a towel, they are covered with hanji and dried in a warm, floor-heated room. When you want to drink it, you add three or four dried flowers to hot water.
• Honey chrysanthemum tea: The flowers are washed and dried, then kept in honey for about three to four weeks. To make the tea, you add these honey-preserved flowers to hot water.

Where to Find Chrysanthemum Tea

Even though many people make chrysanthemum tea at home, you can also find it in many Asian restaurants, especially Chinese ones. It's also sold in various Asian grocery stores both inside and outside Asia. You can buy it in cans, boxes, or in teabags. Sometimes, you can even find it sold as a juice box!

Images for kids

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  Gukhwa-cha (chrysanthemum tea)

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  A juicebox of chrysanthemum tea by Singaporean brand Yeo's.

See also

In Spanish: Té de crisantemo para niños