
Apples have been grown across Europe and Central Asia for thousands of years, and dried apple pieces are the backbone of countless fruit tea blends. They brew a naturally sweet, mellow cup with a gentle orchard aroma and give the infusion a fuller body. Apple pairs with almost anything: cinnamon, ginger, berries, citrus, hibiscus, rooibos and black tea. Because the pieces hold their flavor well, apple blends are lovely both piping hot in winter and poured over ice in summer.
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Beetroot is the deep red root of the beet plant, grown across Europe and North America and a staple of Eastern European kitchens. Dried beetroot pieces give an earthy, gently sweet flavor and turn the infusion a vivid ruby or magenta color. They are used in herbal and fruit blends to deepen color and add body, pairing well with hibiscus, berries, apple, ginger and cinnamon. Beetroot powder is also popular in colorful lattes whisked with warm milk.
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Blackberries are juicy brambles that grow wild across Europe and North America and have been gathered from hedgerows for generations. Dried blackberries add a deep, jammy berry flavor with a pleasant tartness and a rich purple tint to the cup. They pair well with black tea, green tea, hibiscus, apple and other berries, and they bring a summery note to herbal and fruit blends. Blackberry blends make an excellent iced tea, lightly sweetened with honey if you like.
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Blackberry leaves come from the same bramble bush that gives us blackberries, a plant that grows wild throughout Europe and North America. Dried and cut, they brew a mild, smooth, slightly earthy cup with a light, tea-like dryness and none of the fruit's sweetness. In Germany and Central Europe they are a classic base for herbal and fruit blends, pairing well with raspberry leaves, strawberry leaves, apple, rosehip and mint. Blackberry leaves are naturally caffeine-free.
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Blueberries are native to North America, where Indigenous peoples gathered wild berries long before they were cultivated. Dried blueberries add a gentle, sweet berry flavor with a soft, slightly floral aroma and a lovely deep blue tint. They blend well with green, white and black tea, as well as fruit blends with hibiscus, apple, lemon and other berries. Blueberry blends are a favorite for iced tea and can be lightly sweetened to bring out the fruit.
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Cardamom comes from the seed pods of a plant in the ginger family, native to the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka and also grown in Guatemala. It has an intensely aromatic, warm, resinous fragrance with hints of citrus, eucalyptus and sweet spice. Cardamom is an essential ingredient in Indian masala chai, where it pairs with black tea, cinnamon, ginger, clove and black pepper. It also lifts rooibos and green tea blends, and loves a splash of milk.
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Carrots are root vegetables first cultivated in Central Asia and now grown all over the world in many colors, from orange to purple. Dried carrot pieces add a mild, natural sweetness, a slightly earthy note and a warm orange color to the cup. They work well in fruit and herbal blends with apple, orange, ginger, beetroot and rooibos, adding body without overpowering other flavors. Carrot blends also make a playful, garden-inspired iced tea for warm afternoons.
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Chamomile is a small daisy-like flower native to Europe and Western Asia, prized for centuries in Egypt, Greece and Rome. The dried flower heads brew a mellow, golden cup with a sweet, honey-like, apple-tinged floral aroma. Chamomile is lovely on its own and blends beautifully with lavender, mint, lemon balm, rose, rooibos and vanilla. It is naturally caffeine-free, which makes it a long-standing favorite for an evening cup, especially with a touch of honey.
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Chicory is a hardy plant with bright blue flowers native to Europe, and its root has been roasted as a coffee substitute in France and New Orleans for centuries. Roasted chicory root brews a dark, toasty, slightly bitter cup with notes of caramel and coffee. It blends well with dandelion root, carob, cinnamon, chocolate and vanilla in herbal coffee-style blends. Chicory is naturally caffeine-free, and it is especially good with milk and a little sweetener.
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Cinnamon is the dried inner bark of evergreen trees native to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, rolled into the familiar curled quills. In the cup it gives a sweet, woody warmth with a gentle bite and a rich, bakery-like aroma. It is a natural partner for black tea, rooibos and fruit blends, especially alongside ginger, cardamom, clove and apple. Try a cinnamon blend with a splash of milk on a cold morning, or brew it strong and pour it over ice.
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Coriander seeds are the dried, round fruits of the same plant whose leaves are known as cilantro, grown since ancient times around the Mediterranean and in India. Unlike the leaves, the seeds taste warm, nutty and gently citrusy, with a light floral note reminiscent of orange peel. In tea, coriander adds lift and brightness to chai, spiced black teas and herbal blends, pairing well with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and citrus. Lightly crushed seeds release the most aroma when steeped.
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Eucalyptus is a tall evergreen tree native to Australia, home to the koala and famous for its aromatic, silvery-green leaves. In tea, the dried leaves add a fresh, cooling, menthol-like aroma with a clean, slightly camphor-like finish. Because its flavor is bold, eucalyptus is used in small amounts in herbal blends, often alongside peppermint, lemongrass, licorice and lemon, and sometimes with green tea. It makes a crisp, invigorating cup on a chilly evening and is pleasant iced as well.
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Ginger is the knobby root, or rhizome, of a tropical plant first grown in Southeast Asia and now cultivated in India, China and beyond. In the cup it brings a lively, peppery heat with a bright, zesty, slightly citrusy aroma that warms from the first sip. Ginger is one of the stars of chai and pairs well with black tea, green tea, rooibos and herbal blends, often alongside lemon, cinnamon, turmeric and peach. It is great hot with honey or brewed strong and served iced.
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Ginseng is the slow-growing root of a plant native to the mountain forests of Korea, northeast China and parts of North America. It has an earthy, woody flavor with a gentle bitter-sweet balance and a slightly savory finish. In tea, ginseng is often paired with green tea, oolong and herbal blends, and it works nicely with ginger, lemongrass, mint and citrus. It has been treasured in Korean and Chinese tea culture for centuries, where ginseng tea is a classic gift for family and friends.
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Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are the small, bright red-orange fruits of a shrub grown for centuries in northwest China, especially in the Ningxia region. Dried goji berries bring a mild, tangy-sweet flavor, somewhere between a cranberry and a cherry, with a light herbal note. They pair well with green tea, white tea, rooibos and fruit blends, alongside raspberry, pomegranate, hibiscus and citrus. In China, goji berries are a beloved everyday ingredient in soups, desserts and teas.
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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.
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Honeybush is a shrub native to the coastal mountains of South Africa's Eastern and Western Cape, and a close cousin of rooibos. Like rooibos it is naturally caffeine-free, and its leaves and stems brew a naturally sweet, mellow cup with notes of honey, dried apricot and toasted grain. Honeybush is lovely on its own and blends well with rooibos, vanilla, citrus, caramel and fruit, and its name comes from the honey-scented yellow flowers. Enjoy it with milk or served iced.
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Lemon peel comes from the bright yellow fruit of the lemon tree, grown in sunny regions like the Mediterranean, California and South America. Dried peel gives a zesty, sharp citrus aroma with a clean, lightly bitter edge and a sunny fragrance that lifts the whole cup. It pairs well with green tea, black tea, rooibos, ginger, mint and berry blends. Lemon blends make excellent iced tea, and a drizzle of honey softens the tartness nicely in a hot mug on a chilly day.
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Lemongrass is a tall tropical grass native to South and Southeast Asia, where its fragrant stalks are a staple of Thai and Vietnamese cooking. In tea it gives a bright, clean lemon aroma with gentle hints of ginger and a light, grassy sweetness. It pairs wonderfully with green tea, rooibos, ginger, mint, coconut and fruit blends, adding citrus freshness without any sourness. Lemongrass is excellent iced, and its sunny flavor stands up well to a long steep without turning bitter.
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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.
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Marigold petals, also known as calendula, come from a bright orange and golden flower that has grown in Mediterranean gardens for centuries. The dried petals have a light, mildly sweet and slightly peppery taste with a gentle floral aroma. They are used mostly to add cheerful color to herbal, fruit, green and black tea blends, pairing nicely with chamomile, rose, citrus and berries. In the past, calendula petals were even called poor man's saffron because cooks used them to color rice and butter.
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Orange peel comes from the bright skin of sweet and bitter oranges, grown in sunny regions such as Spain, Florida, Brazil and the Mediterranean. Dried peel adds a warm, sweet citrus aroma with a hint of pleasant bitterness and a sunny, zesty finish. It is one of the most versatile tea ingredients, pairing beautifully with black tea, green tea, rooibos, cinnamon, clove, chocolate and cranberry. Orange and spice blends are a holiday favorite, and they are wonderful with a splash of milk.
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Papaya is a soft, orange-fleshed tropical fruit native to southern Mexico and Central America and now grown throughout the tropics. Dried papaya pieces add a mellow, sweet flavor with musky, melon-like notes and a gentle tropical aroma. Papaya pairs well with rooibos, green tea, white tea and fruit blends, especially alongside mango, pineapple, coconut and passion fruit. Because its flavor is soft rather than tart, papaya rounds out tangier fruits nicely and makes a smooth, easygoing iced tea.
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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.
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Pineapple is a tropical fruit native to South America and now grown widely in Costa Rica, the Philippines, Thailand and Hawaii. Dried pineapple pieces add a juicy, tangy-sweet flavor with a bright, sunny aroma and a lively tropical zing. They pair beautifully with green tea, white tea, rooibos and fruit blends featuring mango, coconut, papaya, ginger or passion fruit. Pineapple blends make a fantastic iced tea, and a splash of coconut milk gives them a fun piña colada twist.
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Rose petals come from fragrant garden roses, a flower prized for centuries in Persia, Bulgaria, Turkey and China. They add a sweet, romantic floral aroma with a soft, slightly fruity finish and pretty pink color in the cup. Rose is a classic partner for black tea, green tea and white tea, and it blends beautifully with vanilla, cardamom, berries and lavender in herbal mixes. A pinch of rose in Earl Grey or a creamy chai creates an elegant, perfumed cup.
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Rosehips are the small, round fruit that form on wild rose bushes after the flowers fade, traditionally gathered across Europe and Chile. They brew a mild, fruity, gently tangy cup with notes of apple and cranberry and a warm orange-red color. Rosehips are a favorite base for fruit and herbal blends, pairing well with hibiscus, orange peel, apple and berries, and they also work with rooibos. Their tartness makes them excellent for iced tea, lightly sweetened with honey.
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St. John's wort is a European wildflower with bright yellow, star-shaped blossoms, named for its tradition of flowering around St. John's Day in late June. Its dried leaves and flowers brew a mild, grassy herbal cup with a slightly bitter, earthy finish. It is usually blended with friendlier flavors such as lemon balm, mint, orange peel or rose in herbal blends. Please read the product label before use, and check with your doctor if you are pregnant or take any medication.
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Tulsi, also called holy basil, is a fragrant herb native to India, where it is sacred in Hindu tradition and often grown in a courtyard pot at the center of the home. Its leaves brew a fresh, peppery cup with clove-like spice, hints of mint and a light lemony lift. Tulsi pairs well with green tea, black tea, rooibos, ginger, lemongrass and chai spices. It is naturally caffeine-free on its own and tastes great hot or iced.
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Lemon verbena is a leafy shrub native to South America, brought to Europe by Spanish explorers and now grown widely around the Mediterranean. Its slender leaves have an intense, bright lemon aroma that is sweeter and more floral than lemon peel. Verbena is wonderful on its own, and it pairs well with green tea, white tea, mint, lemongrass and fruit blends. In France it is a classic after-dinner herbal tea called verveine, and it makes a refreshing iced tea too.
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