Herbal & Flower Teas
Lophatherum and Rush Herb Tea
traditionally used to clear heat, calm restlessness, and support urinary comfort in children
Why people make this tea
After a child runs a fever, sometimes a restless, irritable phase follows — trouble settling at night, mouth ulcers, dark yellow urine, or a flushed look without an obvious illness. In traditional Chinese food-therapy thinking, this is understood as residual heat in the heart channel, and the remedy is a simple, mild herbal tea rather than another round of medicine.
Lophatherum (dan zhu ye) is a slender bamboo-leaf herb widely used in Cantonese households; rush pith (deng xin cao) is a traditional infant calming herb. Together they make one of the gentlest clearing teas in the Cantonese repertoire — light-tasting, easy to prepare, and safe enough to serve as an infant “opening milk” tea in very small amounts.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for children and adults who feel restless, have mouth ulcers, dark urine, or disturbed sleep associated with heat
- Nursing mothers may drink this tea and then breastfeed within an hour to gently pass the calming properties to their infant
- Not suitable for those with a cold or weak stomach constitution, or during pregnancy — lophatherum is cooling in nature
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Lophatherum (dan zhu ye): Traditionally associated with clearing heat from the heart and stomach channels, relieving restlessness, and gently promoting urination to carry excess heat out of the body
- Rush pith (deng xin cao): One of the classic herbs used in infant calming formulas; traditionally said to clear heart fire and calm the spirit, and considered safe for very young children
Ingredients (2 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lophatherum herb (dan zhu ye) | 11 g (3 qian) | Available at Chinese herbal shops |
| Rush pith bundles (deng xin cao) | 6 small bundles | A classic infant calming herb |
| Water | 4 bowls (~800 mL) | Reduce to 2 bowls |
Method
- Rinse the lophatherum and rush pith briefly.
- Combine both ingredients with 4 bowls of water in a small pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until the liquid reduces to 2 bowls.
- Strain, cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Bro Niu’s tips
This tea is not suitable for those with a cold stomach or during pregnancy. For children who also have trouble sleeping or night crying, Bro Niu suggests adding 1 liang of lily bulb (bai he) and 1 liang of lotus seeds with their inner embryo (you xin lian zi) — cook in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. This version can be used as a nursing tea for breastfeeding mothers as well, administered 30–60 minutes before feeding. For a more pronounced calming effect, brew over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Nicole Lee): My baby is 5 months old and wakes up crying two or three times a night. Can she have this tea? Bro Niu: Yes, you can give lotus seeds with embryo (1 liang), lily bulb (5 qian), and rush pith (6 bundles) in 4 bowls of water cooked to 1 bowl — serve throughout the day. This helps clear heart heat. Alternatively, if you are breastfeeding, you drink it one hour before nursing.
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Q (Nicole Lee): How long can I keep the leftover tea, and how often should it be given? Bro Niu: You can store it for up to two days. Two to three times a week is enough.
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Q (Susanna): My baby is 24 days old and has G6PD. Can this tea be used? Bro Niu: Yes, lophatherum and rush pith tea is suitable as an opening milk tea for G6PD infants. If you are breastfeeding, avoid taking supplements yourself for now; instead, drink some cooling soups like carrot and corn broth, and the gentle properties will pass through your milk.
Published June 17, 2013 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
