Chrysanthemum flower
Chrysanthemum morifolium · 菊花
Herbs & Roots. Chinese Medicine.
Also called Ju hua, Florist's daisy, Chinese chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum tea
Pinyin: Jú huā
Spanish: Crisantemo
Allergy risk for daisy-family plantsThe dried flower head of a garden mum, sipped as a tea in China for early colds with fever and for red, sore eyes.
Did you know? Chrysanthemum is one of the Four Gentlemen of Chinese painting, along with plum, orchid and bamboo.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Fever. Used in tradition for colds with fever. Few good human trials exist.Traditional proof
- Eyes & vision. Used in tradition for red or sore eyes. Human eye trials are lacking.Traditional proof
- Inflammation. Flower extracts reduce inflammation in lab tests. Human data are lacking.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used chrysanthemum tea for wind-heat colds (colds with fever, headache and a sore throat) and for red, dry or sore eyes. It is part of Sang Ju Yin, a classic cold formula.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Diaphoretic, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory. Energy: cooling.
- Chinese medicine
- 菊花 Release the exterior. Nature: cool. Flavour: sweet, bitter. Enters the Lung and Liver channels.
How people take it
A cup of tea uses a few grams of dried flower heads. Traditional decoctions use about 5 to 10 grams. Tea is the most common way people take it.
Tea, decoction and capsule.
Where to get it
Cultivated in China (especially Zhejiang and Anhui) and Japan. Sold as dried flower heads in tea shops and Asian grocers, and as capsules or extracts.
Be careful
Generally mild. People allergic to ragweed or other daisy-family plants (Asteraceae) may react, with itching, rash or breathing trouble. Pregnancy use is not well studied.
Avoid if: ragweed allergy; pregnancy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Sang Ju Yin (Mulberry Leaf and Chrysanthemum Drink) pairs them for early wind-heat colds with sore throat and cough.
- Works well together
Also in Sang Ju Yin, where forsythia fruit helps clear heat from the throat and chest.
- Works well together
Both are used in Chinese medicine for red, sore eyes from liver heat.
The honest take
Chrysanthemum tea is a pleasant, low-risk drink with a long history. Its fever, eye and anti-inflammatory uses rest mostly on tradition and lab work. Human trials are few, so it is not a proven remedy for colds or eye problems.