Wiseman’s Chinese Medical Database

jú huā / 菊花 / 菊花 / chrysanthemum [flower]

Latin pharmacognostic name: Chrysanthemi Flos

Alternate English names:

Alternate Chinese names: 家菊 jiā jú; 真菊 zhēn jú; 甜菊花 tián jú huā; 药菊 yào jú; 菊 jú; 甘菊花 gān jú huā; 甘菊 gān jú

Origin: Plant

Use: medicinal and alimentary

Category: Exterior-resolving agents / Cool acrid exterior-resolving agents

Properties: Acrid, sweet, bitter; slightly cold.

Channel entry: liver and lung channels.

Indications:

• Disperses wind-heat: External contraction of wind-heat and warm disease in its initial stage, manifesting with heat effusion, clouded head, and headache.
• Clears the liver and drains fire; brightens the eyes: Painful red swollen eyes and clouded, flowery vision, due to liver channel wind-heat or liver fire attacking upward.
• Calms liver yáng: Hyperactivity of liver yáng with headache and dizziness.
• Clears heat and resolves toxin: Toxin swelling of clove sores.

Dosage & Method:

Oral: 10–15g in decoctions.

Notes:

杭菊: Used to disperse wind-heat. 滁菊: Best for brightening the eyes and calming the liver.

Product Description:

These are button-shaped inflorescences, comprising an outer layer of about 15–20 shriveled ligulate pale yellow male flowers, and a center of numerous tubular yellow flowers of both genders and each with five lobes and brown ovaries. At the base is the involucre composed of 3–4 layers of bracts. Chrysanthemums vary according to local strains and methods of processing, distinction being made between 白菊 and 黄菊, and between 杭菊, 滁菊, and 怀菊, etc.

Quality:

Bright colored flowers that are intact are best.

Product Area:

Hénán, ānhuī, and Zhèjiāng.