Hangzhou white chrysanthemum is best paired with wolfberry to clear fire.

Hangzhou white chrysanthemum, a specialty of Tongxiang City, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province.

Hangzhou white chrysanthemum is the dried flower head of the chrysanthemum of the Compositae family. Historically, it has enjoyed the title of "Hangzhou white chrysanthemum and Longjing tea". It has the reputation of being one of the "Eight Zhejiang Flavors" of Chinese medicinal materials. Tongxiang is the origin of white chrysanthemum and is known as the "hometown of white chrysanthemum in China". It has a planting history of more than 300 years. Due to its special natural geographical conditions and continuously improved production and processing technology, white chrysanthemum has excellent color, fragrance, shape and other aspects. It is obviously better than similar commercial chrysanthemums in other places. It was used as a tribute in ancient times. It tastes mellow and sweet, and has the effects of dispersing wind, clearing away heat, calming the liver and improving eyesight.

White chrysanthemum is produced in Tongxiang, but it is called "Hangzhou white chrysanthemum". It is said that the white chrysanthemum in Tongxiang was sold by Wang Yutai, an Anhui tea merchant at that time (Wang Yutai opened "Wang Yutai" on Nanjing Road in Shanghai Yutai No. 4 Tea Shop) was resold to various countries in Southeast Asia and gained a good reputation at home and abroad. Zhu Jinlun, a local chrysanthemum dealer in Tongxiang, also benefited a lot from this. Zhu Jinlun purchased the dried chrysanthemums from farmers, carefully handled, processed and packaged them. According to the requirements of tea merchant Wang Yutai, he affixed trademarks and product descriptions, and then resold them to Nanyang businessman Boss Liang through the tea merchant. Huibang tea merchant Wang Yutai was a shrewd boss who was familiar with competition in the business world. In order to prevent Nanyang merchants from getting rid of him as a middleman, he ordered Zhu Jinlun to label all white chrysanthemum packets sent out of Tongxiang with the words "Hangzhou West Lake Gold" "Produced by Lun Tea House". Later, the shrewd Boss Liang resorted to the trick of "burning bridges across the river". He left Boss Wang and went directly to Hangzhou to look for the "West Lake Jinlun Tea House". Of course, he could not find it. But from then on, the white chrysanthemums in Tongxiang were named "Hangzhou white chrysanthemums", which is still used today.

Harvesting

(1) Harvesting time

Chrysanthemum harvesting begins in late October and ends in late November. Approximately 7 days earlier than regular chrysanthemums.

(2) Harvesting standards

Duo chrysanthemum: The harvesting standards should be that the petals are spread straight and the center of the flower is 30 to 50% spread out. When the flower color is white, it is mostly used for Drinking chrysanthemum.

Cake flowers: 50 to 70% of the flowers are spread out in the center, mostly used as raw materials for medicinal materials.

Fetal chrysanthemum: The buds of white chrysanthemum are fully enlarged, the petals break through the bud bracts, the outer petals have just bloomed and are at an angle of 90 to 120 degrees with the inflorescence, and the stamens are slightly exposed. At this time, the petals are fleshy yellow and the fetal color is heavy.

Choose flowers on a sunny day after the dew has dried.

(3) Harvesting and grading

When picking flowers, it is necessary to do a good job of grading while picking, and place good flowers and secondary flowers separately and process them separately.

Processing

The harvested flowers cannot be squeezed. The moisture on the surface of the shade-dried flowers must be spread out before processing. Chrysanthemum processing is divided into three steps: grating, steaming, and exposure.

Quality level

It is divided into three levels according to sensory requirements: special grade, first grade and second grade. Good quality, no smell, no insects.