Magnolia Bud, Perilla Leaf and Brown Sugar Ginger Tea

Why people make this tea

There is a small, furry, aromatic flower bud you will find in Chinese herbal medicine shops called xin yi hua — the bud of the magnolia tree, harvested before it opens. It has a distinctive, pleasantly spicy scent, and for centuries it has been the go-to herb in Chinese medicine for opening nasal passages. Fragrant, warming, and pungent, it is said to “travel upward to the head and face,” making it specific for nasal congestion regardless of whether the cause is a common cold or seasonal rhinitis. Combined with perilla leaves — which have well-documented anti-inflammatory properties in modern research — and ginger for warmth, this tea is quick to make (under ten minutes), genuinely aromatic, and traditionally well-suited for the kind of stuffy, blocked-nose discomfort that comes on in cold, damp weather. Best drunk while still warm.