This product is Caffeine Free!

Chrysanthemum Goji Berry Flower & Herbal Tea

Light, refreshing, sweet and floral, the pairing of chrysanthemum flowers and goji berries is a classic go-to herbal combo for Chinese tea drinkers.

In China, drinks made by steeping things other than tea leaves are called "Hua Cao Cha" - which translates to "Flower & Herbal" tea.

Each box contains:

20 individually wrapped packets, each containing
2 Wuyuan Chrysanthemums and 5-6 goji berries, loose for steeping.
Use multiple packets for more people/more flavor!

Flavor Profile

Like many flower and herbal teas, the focus of this tea is on fragrance and easy drinking.

The resulting brew is very light and fragrant. If you're looking for a deep, bracing tea, this is not it. If you're looking for something light, sweet and floral with no caffeine, this is a good choice.

Steeping Instructions

Flower and Herbal teas are not finicky! Since they are not tea leaves, they respond very differently to brewing.

Brew at boiling temperature for 2-3 minutes, and see how you like it. Want more flavor? Add another packet or steep longer.

The individual packets have rigid inserts to protect the tea flowers from damage, and make it super easy to take to work, on a trip, or keep in a bag for anytime!

Want more flavor? Brew as many packets as you like!

Wuyuan Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum flowers have been used by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners for over 1000 years.

Wuyuan Chrysanthemums are arguably the best in the world.

They come from Jiangxi Province, where they are prized for their three traits of “香 Xiāng，甜 tián，润 rùn” - “Fragrant, Sweet, and Smooth.”

Ningxia Goji Berry

Ningxia Goji berries have been cultivated for over 700 years.

Known as “red diamonds”, they are a key ingredient in many Traditional Chinese Medicine recipes.

You can even eat them when they are rehydrated and when you are finished with your tea.

Jesse Says:

Ever since day 1 of making videos, people have asked for "decaf tea."

In truth, all tea leaf teas will have caffeine, and the best drinks without caffeine are flower and herbal blends, of which there are many traditional versions.

Making my own flower & herbal tea proved a lot more difficult than I expected. I was really shocked at the low quality and inconsistent product in the herbal tea marketplace. I couldn't find who was growing what, where, and how.

Eventually, after lots of research, I found that the best chrysanthemums are grown in Wuyuan, Zhejiang, and the best Goji berries are from Ningxia.

My mentality in this box is to put high quality ingredients together, and offer the choice of drinking them straight or by combining them with other tea leaf teas.

Tea? Tisane? Jesse's Take

In the tea scene, I find people oftentimes dismiss all non-tea leaf teas as "not real tea." These brews are called "tisanes" - a word I rarely use because I find nobody knows what it means.

I don't have the authority to tell anyone what is and isn't tea. For me, it's most important people know what they are drinking, and to fit them to the best product possible.

For my flower & herbal line, I plan on making blends that 1) real Chinese people actually drink and 2) use the highest quality ingredients.

That these products have no caffeine makes them a good fit for evening time, or anyone who is sensitive to caffeine.

It also means it will likely not be a good fit for people who want strong, intense flavors or to steep their tea over and over again. That's not how flower and herbal tea works.

Whether they count as "tea" seems like it should be the topic of a YouTube video. For now, enjoy!