I’m a big fan of roses!  They remind me of smiles and love.  While not commonly used in Chinese Herbal Teas so much, they are very popular in the Western selection of teas and stem from way back in Western culture especially in an apothecary and healing capacity.  However, rose buds and roses are used in so many cuisines and dishes, such as teas (hot and cold), desserts, cakes, as flavouring, or as decorative in and on food.

What’s used are the dried rose petals and buds of the flower.  They are fragrant, slightly sweet (and bitter), and have quite a unique taste to the tea.  I usually keep a bag of these in my herbal tea pantry and they have amazing shelf life!  You can harvest your own red rose petals or buds from your own rose garden (if you have one!).  The buds are before the flower blooms  or after bloom, you can simply take the petals as well.  

The best thing for me about rose buds in Chinese Herbal teas is that they help with stagnant Qi and blood.  Stagnant Qi shows up as mood swings, irritability, annoyance (sometimes the onset of PMS) and greatly helps with this during menopause as well.  Roses are an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins (C and E) and helps to improve sleep and moods.

What is the cost & where to buy?

• The price will range depending on the size, make, and brand of the dried flowers, especially if it’s organic or not

• There are smaller full buds, which tend to be more expensive, or the shredded bloomed ones, which are cheaper
• In general, one ounce of dried loose flowers can cost around $3-4 CAD (but I have seen the range quite wide)
• Red roses are commonly found in both Western and Eastern stores (both online and instore)

Any precautions?

• Be sure to buy dried roses from a reputable and reliable source, either online or in person.  

• I like this one that I’ve purchased once from Amazon to try!