"Sweet scented Osmanthus seeds fell on the moon
as its fragrance in the sky was wafted through the clouds."
-Song Zhi Wen, Tang dynasty poet-
A flower so honored that the city of Hang Zhou, China, has named this its official city flower.
It is an evergreen tree that produces prolific pale yellow to yellow-orange fragrant flowers.
It is native to the east of the Himalayas and grows into the south of China, Taiwan and the south of Japan.
It is also known as Sweet Olive, Tea Olive or Fragrant Olive.
The Chinese use it to scent green teas, make sweet desserts, sauces, jams and wines.
The flower is known literally as cinnamon flower.
The trees are said to have masses of branches, leaves and blossoms in autumn,
and are likened to stars in the sky and the fragrance stimulates a complete feeling of freedom.
Medicinally, this flower has been used by the ancients to nourish the kidneys, regulate the endocrine system, detoxifying the body, tonic for the liver and stomach and enhancing one's beauty and the skin.
This Sweet Osmanthus tisane has high notes of sweetness, pleasant to the nose,
calm yet invigorates the senses and the body.
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