Loquat Flower and Licorice Tea

Why people make this tea

Loquat trees bloom in winter, and Nourilo recalls seeing them in country gardens as a child. Today the dried flower buds are available in many Chinese herb shops, where they have become a quiet favourite for seasonal cough and throat irritation. Unlike loquat leaf, which is the more commonly known ingredient, the flower bud has a gentle, neutral-to-slightly-warm nature and is used specifically to clear heat from the lungs and ease dryness. Paired with just a few slices of licorice — one of the most widely used herbs in the Chinese tradition, known for its harmonising and soothing properties — this tea is quick to prepare and pleasant to drink.