An Introduction to the Effects, Functions and Characteristics of Bitter Orange Flower (Daidaihua) in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Daidaihua is the flower of the bitter orange (Citrus aurantium var. amara, also known as daidai or huíqīngchéng), a plant in the Rutaceae family, genus Citrus. It is a commonly used flower-type Chinese medicinal herb. The daidai is an evergreen small tree or shrub that mostly grows in the warm, humid regions of southern China. Every spring it produces pure white, fragrant flowers, which are picked and sun-dried or shade-dried before use as medicine.

In appearance, the dried daidaihua is mostly flat-round or irregular in shape, yellowish-white in color, with a fresh fragrance and a slightly bitter taste. Its source plant has another interesting trait: after the fruit ripens it stays on the branch for a very long time without falling, and after hanging there long enough it turns from orange-yellow back to green. Fruits of several generations hang on the same tree at once, and this is how daidaihua got its name.

In terms of its applications, traditional Chinese medicine holds that daidaihua has the effects of regulating qi, relieving chest tightness and stimulating the appetite, and it is traditionally used for feelings of fullness and distension in the chest and upper abdomen, poor appetite, and similar conditions. In daily life, daidaihua is also often brewed as a tea, or combined with dried tangerine peel, hawthorn and the like. It is fragrant and is one of the flower teas many people enjoy.

It should be noted that daidaihua is, after all, a medicinal material, so it should not be used in excessive amounts when drunk as a tea, nor is it suitable for long-term continuous consumption. People with special constitutions, or those taking other medications, are advised to consult a doctor or pharmacist first before deciding whether to drink it, which is the safer approach.