From Blossom to Brew: Crafting Dried Chrysanthemum Tea

The method to make dried chrysanthemum tea is rather simple. First, pick the first batch of highest quality chrysanthemums at the end of October. The petals should be clean and intact.

Then, allow the harvested chrysanthemums to air dry in the shade, followed by steaming and sun drying.

Generally, it takes about 2 to 3 days to sun-dry the chrysanthemum into tea. How to store chrysanthemums? The prepared chrysanthemums should be stored in a sealed bag or container in a dry and cool place. If necessary, they can be kept in the refrigerator.

1. How to make tea from chrysanthemums

1.1 Picking chrysanthemums

Start picking flowers in early November (after the start of winter) until the end of the flowering season, which lasts for about 10 days. The first batch of mature flowers has the best quality. After 3 to 5 days, pick the second batch, which has slightly lower quality.

Pick the flowers one by one, avoid picking them in bunches, don’t pick loose petals, and don’t bring flower stems and broken leaves.

1.2 Steaming Chrysanthemums

The picked flowers should be spread on a bamboo plate for about 20 hours to lose some moisture and slightly wither. Start steaming on the second day.

Tools needed for steaming: one iron pot (about 66cm in diameter), one elevated pot lid (not less than 50cm high), one wooden tripod (about 55cm high, divided into 5 sections), and ten bamboo sieves (about 35cm in diameter and 5-6cm high).

Steam flower: put about 5kg of water in the pot, boil it over high heat, steam 5 sieves at a time, each sieve contains about 400g of slightly wilted chrysanthemums.

Place the sieves on the steaming rack, cover with the lid, boil water on high heat, steam for about 5 minutes, remove the lid, remove the steaming sieve, the steamed flowers have formed a cake-like shape, dry it slowly on outdoor curtains.

If it rains continuously, use a drying cage charcoal fire to dry, but the product has a low aroma, poor quality, and also has a charcoal smell.

The moisture content of the finished product is 12%~2%, if it is too dry, the petals are easy to break; if it is not dry enough, when the moisture content is close to 18%, it will produce black mold and rot after a few days of storage, becoming substandard.

2. How to store chrysanthemums

2.1 Ensure sealing

Whether placed in a bag or a sealed container, remember to seal the bag or container to avoid moisture, especially during the change of seasons.

2.2 Place in a cool and dry place

Light, humidity, and temperature can all cause the tea to spoil. Therefore, it should be placed in a dry and cool place.

2.3 If the consumption rate is slow, it must be kept in the refrigerator

If the amount purchased at one time will take a long time to finish, it is best to store the chrysanthemums in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life.