Everything You Need to Know About Flower Tea

Floral tea is just what it sounds like: tea made from flowers. But the different types of floral tea can get confusing. There’s whole flower tea, floral tea, and blooming tea, plus a bunch of different types of teas within these categories. So if you’re looking to learn some of the best floral teas, the benefits of drinking flowers, and how to prepare floral tea, you’re in the right place. 

Even if you’ve never tried a whole flower tea or blooming tea, it’s likely you’ve tried floral tea of some sort. One of the most popular “floral teas” shouldn’t actually always be classified as such. Jasmine tea is known for its beautiful floral flavor, but most of the time the tea doesn’t actually contain jasmine flowers. Instead jasmine flowers are used to add a jasmine flavor to another tea like green tea. 

Usually, just-bloomed jasmine flowers are added into an airtight container of green tea until the floral scent of the jasmine flowers is completely absorbed. Occasionally, the jasmine blossoms are left in the jasmine tea blend, but this would only be for appearance because all of the fragrance from the flowers will have already been transferred to the green tea. More rarely, you can find jasmine flower tea, which is actually made with whole jasmine flowers. Thankfully, you can find whole jasmine flower buds HERE as a part of our Petite Trio Set! 

So, if jasmine tea technically isn’t a floral tea, you might be wondering what is. Before we go into more details about floral tea in general, we’ll start with a list of what we consider to be the seven best floral teas. 

7 Best Floral Teas

1. Chamomile tea

As one of the most popular floral teas, chamomile is known for its relaxing effects and mellow, honey-like sweetness. The name “Chamomile” derives from the Ancient Greek words kamai (earth) and melon (apple) due to the fact that the flowers have a scent similar to apples. The tea is made by drying the white daisy-like chamomile flowers, which grow natively in western Europe, India, and western Asia. As an herbal tea, chamomile can be enjoyed throughout the day. 

2. Calendula tea

Calendula is often used as an herbal remedy either in a tea or a tincture. The herb has antifungal and antimicrobial properties, which are known for their ability to help prevent infection and heal certain injuries. Calendula flowers have a slightly bitter taste so if the tea isn’t for you, the dried flowers can be used in a tincture or in a flower bath. People even make soaps, salves, lotion bars and lip balms out of the stuff. 

GET $5 OFF TODAY WITH CODE “5OFF”

3. Rose tea

Like chamomile tea, rose tea is one of the most popular floral teas. But there are also a lot of varieties of rose tea. You might’ve seen organic rose tea, rose bud tea, rose hip tea (which comes from the fruit of the rose bush), and rose petal tea. Each has its own unique flavor profile and benefits. Roses have a distinct floral flavor, while rosehips tend to have a more delicate floral flavor with a tart aftertaste. 

4. Elderflowers

Elderflower’s latin name is Sambucus, or “gift from the gods,” and for good reason. It has been used since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks and was used to heal many different ailments. It is still used today to fight against the common cold. Elderflower is described as having an herby, floral taste with a crisp, palate-cleansing finish. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry even chose a lemon-elderflower wedding cake for its citrusy, but floral flavor. (1)

5. Blue Lotus tea

Similar to the elderflower, the blue lotus has been used since the time of the Ancient Egyptians. Once known as The Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile, the Ancient Egyptians used the blue lotus flower in medicine and celebration. They often used the blue lotus to induce a state of euphoria and relaxation and was even considered an aphrodisiac. It was also a symbol of life and rebirth as the blue lotus blooms in murky waters one time a year for three days. Blue lotus tea has also been used to induce lucid dreaming. (2)

6. Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus tea is known for its delicious, tart flavor that is similar to cranberries. Its citrusy flavor makes it a great iced tea as well as the perfect addition to any cocktail. Hibiscus is an edible flower that is also used as a colorful garnish. 

GET $5 OFF USING CODE “5OFF” TODAY!

7. Chrysanthemum tea

Definitely saving one of the best for last, chrysanthemums have been enjoyed for centuries in China for their delicious taste and health benefits. Known for its floral and sweet flavor, chrysanthemum tea goes great with a little bit of honey and even in a latte. Used commonly in Traditional Chinese Medicine, chrysanthemum also has certain healing properties. 

 

Flower tea benefits

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, flowers have some of the most qi, or life energy, than other foods. Because of this flowers are used in many healing protocols in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Some commonly used flowers in Traditional Chinese Medicine include:

• Lotus
• Chrysanthemum
• Magnolia
• Rose
• Viola
• Safflower
• Japanese honeysuckle

The chrysanthemum is used to treat things like fevers, dizziness, headaches, irritated eyes, and high blood pressure, while roses are great for things like abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and irregular menstruation. In the western world, many flowers are also recognized for their healing benefits. Rosewater is used for skin and hair health and rose tea has been seen to help with menstrual cramping and anxiety. 

Hibiscus tea also has some health benefits. A cup of brewed hibiscus tea contains about 1.1 milligrams, or 49% of the recommended daily dose of manganese, which is an essential mineral in bone formation and the body's immune response. 

Blue lotus is a great tea for sleep. Like we mentioned earlier, the flower has been used since the Ancient Egyptians for its relaxing properties. Many people enjoy drinking a cup or two before bed for some extra deep sleep. 

 

How To Drink Floral Tea

Flower tea can be appreciated in a similar way to true tea. Many loose leaf floral teas are steeped in tea bags or tea balls, but whole flower teas and blooming teas are made a little bit differently. Whole flower teas are brewed directly in hot water and submerged underwater with a tool like bamboo tea tongs. Blooming teas are usually placed directly in the bottom of a teacup before being covered with hot water.

Most floral teas use water that is slightly below boiling and usually ranges between 170 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because floral teas are more delicate than true teas, which are made from leaves that are much sturdier than petals. The steeping time for floral teas is also usually slightly longer than that of true teas. Most floral teas can be steeped for 3-10 minutes. Since they aren’t as strong as most true teas, their flavor can be steeped for longer. If you want more tips for making the perfect cup of tea, we wrote a blog post all about it! And if you want to learn more about the perfect water temperature to steep your teas, we’ve got you covered!

 

Where Flower Tea Comes From

USE CODE “5OFF” FOR $5 OFF TODAY

The flowers that turn into floral tea are grown all over the world. Our whole flower rose teas are one-of-a-kind high mountain roses that are cultivated in Shangri-La at 10,000 feet above sea level. Shangri-La is a city in the Yunnan province of China, which is known for its incredible teas. This special variety is known for its high-level nutrients, flavonoids, and aroma as it is from the most prized first pick of Spring.

Hibiscus tea originated in North Africa and Southeast Asia, but can be grown in a lot of tropical climates. Most organic hibiscus teas are grown in Egypt since the hibiscus plant is native to the country. Chamomile can be grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 9. While the flower is native to countries outside of the United States, chamomile grows very well throughout most of the fifty states.

Calendula flowers can also be grown pretty easily throughout the United States. These flowers can be sourced from around the world, but they are native to southwestern Asia, western Europe, and the Mediterranean. 

Overall, tea made with flowers has a lot of incredible benefits whether enjoyed as loose leaf floral tea, whole flower tea, or blooming tea.