
Fennel seeds are the dried fruits of a feathery, yellow-flowered herb native to the Mediterranean and now grown in India and around the world. They have a sweet, gentle anise-like flavor with a warm, slightly licorice aroma that is softer than star anise. Fennel pairs well with chai spices, licorice, peppermint, chamomile and citrus in herbal blends, and it adds sweetness to rooibos and black tea. In India, candied fennel seeds are a traditional after-meal nibble offered to guests.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Hibiscus tea is made from the deep red calyces of the roselle flower, a tropical plant grown in West Africa, Egypt, Mexico and Southeast Asia. It brews a bold, tart, cranberry-like cup with a fruity tang and a stunning ruby-red color. Hibiscus is the backbone of many fruit and herbal blends, pairing beautifully with rosehip, orange, berries, ginger and cinnamon, and it adds zing to rooibos and black tea. In Mexico, chilled hibiscus tea known as agua de jamaica is a summer favorite.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Liquorice root, often spelled licorice in the US, comes from the root of a leguminous plant native to southern Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It brings a naturally sweet, smooth flavor with warm notes of anise and a lingering, mellow finish. It rounds out chai, spice and herbal blends beautifully, pairing well with cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, fennel and rooibos. Because it is so naturally sweet, a small amount lets you skip the sugar entirely while still enjoying a rich, full cup.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.

Peppermint is a natural hybrid of spearmint and watermint, native to Europe and the Middle East and now grown widely in places like Oregon and Washington. Its leaves brew a bold, cooling cup with a crisp, sweet, intensely minty aroma and a clean, lingering finish. Peppermint is wonderful on its own and pairs well with green tea, black tea, rooibos, chocolate, licorice and lemongrass. It is naturally caffeine-free as an herb, and it is equally refreshing hot after dinner or iced in summer.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.



























