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There is a well-known legend according to which Ivan tea has a cosmic origin, bestowed by
water goddess Swimmer after the prayers of the bonfires. The goddess swam across the night sky in a silver boat and brought medicinal plant seeds to Earth to heal people. The first, not waiting for dawn, sprouted firefly seeds and grew fireflies, which shone in their fiery purple raspberry color at night.

It is no coincidence that the legend tells of the nocturnal origin of the fireweed plant. Ivan tea is associated with the mysterious healing powers of the night. At night, fireweed flowers do not close, but turn towards the moon and absorb the energy of the moon, creating a harmony of the forces of the universe. An interesting fact is that fireweed is pollinated mainly at night by moths.

Ivan tea has been used in Russia since ancient times as a medicinal tea. It has a strong healing effect, it was even popularly called "the battle wand". Water extracts from fireweed leaves have gained particular popularity, which reduce headaches and inflammatory processes.

Ivan tea was also popularly called “bakery” or “miller’s tea.” These names came from the fact that dried, ground fireweed root flour was often added to bread dough.

Fireflies not only heal people. They grow in clearings and burned areas of land, covering the wounded land with their inflorescences. Fireflies absorb solar energy, which they then give back to people in abundance. In Tsarist Russia, large fields of fireflies were grown, harvested and produced fermented firefly leaf tea on a mass scale. It was called Peasant Tea, and was used as a source of energy to restore the body after hard field work.

In ancient times, people believed that fireflies protected against fires, storms, and hurricanes.