Stone Flower Tea

Stone Flower Tea

　　“Stone Flower Tea,” scientifically known as “Parmelia saxatilis,” belongs to the Parmeliaceae family of lichens. Because it clings tightly to rocks and displays a variegated spectrum of colors—ranging from blue-green, light green, gray-green to dark green—it resembles flowers painted on stone. Hence, local mountain dwellers have given it the beautiful name “Stone Flower Tea.”

　　Stone Flower Tea from Yuntai Mountain is not only used as a tea but also for medicinal purposes. For issues such as skin itching, athlete’s foot, or vitiligo, an appropriate amount is boiled in water to wash the affected areas. For children’s mouth ulcers, it is ground into a powder and applied.

　　Stone Flower Tea is a composite organism formed by the symbiotic relationship between two different groups of lower plants: fungi and algae. Through long-term evolution, they have developed a mutually beneficial and interdependent relationship, characterized by strong adaptability, resistance to dryness and cold, and low nutritional requirements. It is commonly found on exposed rocks in the hills around the port city and can be harvested year-round, making it very convenient to use. (Lianyungang)