In summer, walk into almost any local eatery in Magong and you'll find a pot of clear golden tea on the table — free for guests to help themselves. That is fengru herbal tea, unique to Penghu. Take a sip: it's clean and smooth going down, gently sweet on the finish, with absolutely no bitterness — a flavor completely unlike the herbal teas common on Taiwan's main island. This tea, brewed from dried wild Penghu herbs, is the cooling drink locals have grown up with from childhood. Leave Penghu and you'll never find exactly the same taste anywhere else.
What is Fengru Herbal Tea
Fengru herbal tea is brewed from the dried whole plant of fengru grass (Penghu's endemic herb; scientific name: Crossostephium chinense), a drought-tolerant perennial in the Asteraceae family. It grows on the rocky outcrops and wastelands of Penghu's various islands, with small leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Due to its highly specific growing environment, Penghu remains the primary production area. The whole plant is washed, sun-dried, and then simmered in water for 30–60 minutes. The resulting tea ranges from golden to amber in color, with a clean, elegant aroma and a sweet, mellow flavor free of bitterness. It tastes even better chilled, and is sometimes called "Penghu herbal tea."
Fengru grass is Penghu's unique signature crop. The Council of Agriculture's agricultural knowledge portal features an introduction to "Penghu's distinctive fengru tea," and the farmers' associations of Husi and Baisha townships both contract-purchase and process the herb into tea bags for sale. In Penghu's traditional understanding, fengru tea clears heat, relieves summer fatigue, and quenches thirst — it is the go-to cooling drink for farmers after a hard day's work in the summer heat and for fishermen returning from sea. Eateries in downtown Magong commonly brew large pots to offer free of charge, and it is a must-sell specialty tea in every souvenir shop. It has a clean herbal flavor, is caffeine-free, and is suitable for all ages. It is a tea that truly belongs to Penghu's land and climate.
How to drink it like a local
Local knowledge
Objective notes (sponsor-free)
- The Council of Agriculture's agricultural knowledge portal features an introduction to "Penghu's distinctive fengru tea"; fengru grass is an endemic drought-tolerant herb of Penghu.
- The farmers' associations of Husi and Baisha townships both contract-purchase fengru grass and process it into tea bags for sale.
- Known as "Penghu herbal tea," it is an everyday island drink used to cool down in summer and cleanse the palate after seafood meals.
Visitor tips
- Fengru grass is not a tea leaf and contains no caffeine — suitable for all ages, including pregnant women and children.
- Quality varies widely among commercially sold tea bags; choose products packaged by a farmers' association or cooperative from the current year's harvest for the best flavor.
- Many Magong eateries provide it free of charge — try it in the restaurant before deciding whether to buy it as a souvenir.
Information compiled from the Penghu County Government Tourism Bureau, township farmers' and fishermen's associations, and large volumes of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with the channel's exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.