FlowersBlood-activatingFlos Carthami

Hong Hua (Safflower)

紅花 · Hong Hua

Blood-activating herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional functions: Boosts blood, frees channels, disperses stasis, stops pains.

In-Depth Guide

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Quick Facts

Latin NameFlos Carthami
Chinese Name & Pinyin紅花 · Hong Hua
Medicinal PartFlowers
Efficacy CategoryBlood-activating
Botanical OriginThe dried flower of Carthamus tinctorius L.(Asteraceae)
Nature & FlavourAcrid; Warm
Channels EnteredHeart, Liver

What Is Hong Hua?

Hong Hua (Safflower) is a medicinal herb of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

Nature & Flavour: Acrid; Warm
Channels Entered: Heart, Liver

Hong Hua: Materia Medica Profile

Identification & Quality Standard

Flos Carthami

Botanical Origin

The dried flower of Carthamus tinctorius L.(Asteraceae)

Production Regions

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

Quality Requirements

Superior medicinal material is reddish-yellow, fresh, dry and soft.

Macroscopic Features

The tube-shape flowers without ovary; externally reddish-yellow or red; thin and long corolla tube, with 5 narrow strip-shaped petal lobes; and 5 stamens, anthers collect to form a tube shape, yellowish-white. Stigma has a long cylindrical shape, apex is slightly branched. Soft texture, faint odor, slightly bitter taste.

Traditional TCM Properties

Acrid; WarmHeartLiver

Traditional Functions

Boosts blood, frees channels, disperses stasis, stops pains. Apply to menostasia, painful menstruation, retention of the lochia, abdominal mass, chest impediment and pain, abdominal stagnation and pain, chest and flank sting, traumatic injury, sore swelling pain.

How Hong Hua Is Used in TCM

In the Chinese materia medica, Hong Hua is classified among the Blood-activating herbs. It appears in 7 classical formulas in our library.

Formulas containing Hong Hua are traditionally used for:

Chest TightnessHeadacheHypochondriac DistensionEmotional DepressionAnxiety RestlessnessJoint DiscomfortMuscular StiffnessLow Back PainNumbness in LimbsNeck PainAbdominal PainBloating

Classical Formulas Containing Hong Hua

+3 more

Herbs Commonly Combined with Hong Hua

Tao RenDang GuiSheng Di HuangChuan XiongChi ShaoNiu XiChai HuJie GengZhi KeGan CaoQin JiaoQiang Huo

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hong Hua? Is it the same as Xi Hong Hua or Tibetan saffron?
Official Hong Hua (红花) is the dried flower of Carthamus tinctorius. The pharmacopoeial name is Carthami Flos; it is also called grass safflower or hong-lan flower. Xi Hong Hua (Tibetan saffron, Crocus) is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus—sweet-neutral, also cooling Blood, resolving toxin and easing constraint, dosed at only 1–3 g and far more costly. Both move Blood; they are not the same drug. Write Hong Hua; do not swap in expensive saffron or dyed filaments, and do not decoct saffron at a safflower dose.
What are the TCM properties and traditional uses of Hong Hua?
According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Hong Hua is acrid and warm, enters the Heart and Liver channels, and acts to invigorate Blood and unblock the menses, and disperse stasis to stop pain. It is used for amenorrhea, painful periods, retained lochia, abdominal masses, chest impediment and heart pain, stasis abdominal pain, stabbing chest-flank pain, traumatic injury, and sores. Acrid-warm and dispersing: a small dose harmonizes Blood, a larger dose breaks stasis—suited to stagnant pain, not to bleeding or pregnancy.
Does Hong Hua need processing? How do raw and wine-fried flowers differ?
Slices are usually used raw. Wine-frying can strengthen invigorating Blood and unblocking the menses—trauma bruise and amenorrhea-painful periods sometimes prefer it. The corolla is light; do not boil it long. Externally it may soak in wine or join frankincense and myrrh on a sprain. Kitchen dye and stained “safflower tea” are not official Hong Hua.
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Learn More About Hong Hua

Explore our in-depth article covering the traditional uses, properties, functions, and TCM context of Hong Hua.

Read the Hong Hua Guide →

Medical Disclaimer — This article is provided for educational purposes only and describes traditional Chinese medicine concepts. It is not medical advice, and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using any herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a diagnosed condition.

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