Monthly Rose and Rosebud Flower Tea

Why people make this tea

Both monthly rose and rosebud belong to the same botanical family (Rosaceae) and have been used in Chinese herbal food therapy for centuries to support women’s wellbeing. What makes monthly rose (yue ji hua) particularly interesting is how it got its name: unlike most roses that bloom once a season, this species flowers every single month — hence “monthly rose” or “month-after-month red” (yue yue hong). In traditional Chinese medicine thinking, menstrual irregularity and period pain are often attributed to liver qi stagnation — a pattern characterized by emotional tension, sighing, breast tenderness, bloating, and pain that responds to warmth. Monthly rose is traditionally used to move blood and regulate the menstrual cycle, while rosebud moves qi, dissolves tension, and gently warms the middle. Brown sugar adds warmth and enhances the blood-nourishing quality. Together, this tea is particularly favored as a preparation to begin drinking about a week before menstruation arrives.