The Art of Locally Grown & Wildcrafted Tea

Disclaimer: The information handout has not been approved by the FDA and does not in any way intend to diagnose or prescribe. Always consult with your health practitioner before taking any remedy.I also recommend that you…

1.Research an herb in at least three good sources before ingesting it (see website for sources),

2.Listen to your body/intuition to determine if an herb resonates or doesn’t resonate with you.

3.Take proper steps to ensure that any wildcrafted or cultivated plant is what you think it is, AND

4.Check with your pharmacist for herb-drug interactions if you take prescriptions.

Personalized Healing

Herbal medicine offers a unique healing process. Unlike most medicines, herbs have personalities. They engage all our senses so that we can understand them on a greater level and rely on them like good friends.

Sure, you can buy your herbs. I list several local and online suppliers on the links page of my website. It’s incredibly convenient to buy a bottle of caps, a tincture, or some loose herb in minutes. However, if you’re serious about using herbs as medicine, it’s helpful to spend some time with those plants in their living state. Watch them grow in the wild, wildcraft ethically. Or grow your own herbs in the garden. Many are suited for containers—just be sure to keep them watered—as well.

Harvesting, Drying & Storing Your Herbs

Many herbs, particularly those in the mint family, prefer to be trimmed regularly with clean, sharp snips. This keeps them healthy, bushier, and gives you an abundance of herbs for fresh and dry teas. Most herbal experts will tell you to harvest herbs in the morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the summer sun has lessened the essential oil content of your herbs. However, if this is not convenient, you can harvest any time.

To dry your herbs, simply place them loosely in a brown paper bag or a medium-weave basket. Baskets or paperboard boxes (cut into short, wide/long “baskets”) are handy if you have a lot of herbs to dry because they can be stacked to save space yet allow good air flow. Place them in a warm, dry spot with good airflow and ideally out of direct sunlight. For example you may stack baskets on a sheltered porch or place the bag in a warm car with cracked windows. The paper bag/car method is my personal favorite. Check the herbs daily for dryness by crumbling it between your fingers to feel if the plant is still moist. Once dry, immediately strip the leaves and flowers from the stems and store them in a glass jar in a cool, dark, dry place, like a pantry or kitchen cupboard. They should keep their color and flavor for six months to a year or longer.

The Kitchen Herbalist: The Art of Tea

Many herbalists consider teas their first line of defense. They are the easiest, least expensive, and fastest remedies to make, and they are often gentler than other herbal remedies. The strength of the medicine depends on which herbs you choose and how concentrated your tea is.

Straining Bulk Herbs

I like to use French press pots or mugs for bulk teas, or I make iron-able “press and brew” teabags (unfortunately made with polyurethane fiber) if I’m going to drink a tea regularly. In the winter, I’ll place chunky herbs like freshly grated or sliced ginger root, lemon wedges, sprigs of thyme, cinnamon sticks, and/or whole cloves into a thermos of hot water and let it sit for several hours, then drink throughout the day. The pour top on the thermos strains the tea as it goes into my cup. Other methods include wire mesh balls (fashioned like a spoon or teabag), strainers, strainer funnels, teapots with infusers, bamboo strainers that fit in cups, and reusable cloth teabags. All methods have their advantages or disadvantages in cleaning, ease of use, and whether or not pieces of herbs end up in the final tea. Use whatever fits your taste and budget.

Tea Strength

A beverage tea is often 1 tsp to 1 tbsp of dried herb per cup of water.

Steeped or simmered 2-5 minutes.

A medicinal or tonic tea often involves 1 tbsp or more of dried herb per cup of water.

Steeped or simmered 5-15 minutes.

A strong medicinal tea is 1 ounce of dried herb per quart of water.

Steeped or simmered 20 minutes or longer, sometimes hours or days.

A fresh tea is one handful of fresh herbs and/or fruit per two cups of hot water.

Steeped for 10-15 minutes.

A sun tea is the same as a “beverage tea” or “fresh tea” covered in lukewarm water.

Place in the sun for 1 hour to all day.

An iced tea is made by doubling the herb amount in any of the above techniques.

Follow the same steep/simmer directions, then pour it over a glass of ice.

OR Make any of the above teas at regular strength and then refrigerate overnight.

Infusion (Steep)

When you make tea with a teabag, you’re making an infusion. You bring water to a gentle boil, then pour it over the herb and let it steep. If the tea is aromatic, it’s best to cover the tea as it steeps to keep the volatile oils contained (for instance with mint or lemon balm).

Use this method for leaves, flowers, delicate parts of plants. It can also be used for powder

Decoction (Simmer)

This type of tea is made by simmering the herb in the water. We do this for tough plant parts so that you can get the constituents out of the plant better. Compare these two teas: 1. boiling water poured over a cinnamon stick, steep 15 minutes (infusion), and 2. a cinnamon stick simmered for 15 minutes (decoction). The first will have little flavor, while the second will be strong in flavor and have an astringent, mouth-puckering feel when you drink it. Straining decocted herbs can be a pain. You can also coarsely grind the herbs in a coffee grinder and then brew in a coffee maker (don’t use powdered cinnamon or maca – they’ll slime your filter).

Use this method for roots, bark, seeds, and other tough parts.

Think Beyond the Box (er, Teapot):

Soup is tea. Herbs can be infused or decocted in it. You can simmer your soup or tea down (reduction) and then freeze it in ice cubes. Some herbs like turmeric and ashwagandha infuse nicely in hot milk. There is much, much more than one way to make a cup of tea.

The Kitchen Herbalist: More Basic Recipes

Fresh Tincture: Loosely chop up your fresh herb, then stuff all that you can possibly squeeze into a mason jar. (If you’re using roots, simply nearly fill the jar—no need to stuff.) Cover with whole grain alcohol (ideal) or vodka (easier to get) to the tippity top. Cover. Go back a day or two later to top it off. Let it sit at least 6 months or as long as you like. “Press out” by pouring through a cheesecloth or muslin-lined strainer, wring out as much as you can, and then pour into dark glass bottles. The resulting tincture is about a 1:2 extract. Will keep shelf stable for years.

Herbal Vinegar: Same as above, but use your choice of vinegar in place of the alcohol. Apple cider, distilled white, and rice vinegars are all popular. Will keep shelf stable for about one year.

Herbal Oil: Cover dry or wilted herbs in olive oil, cover, and let sit for 2 weeks before straining. If fresh plants, cover with cheesecloth. Stir daily.

Herbal Honey: Per 1/2 cup  of loosely chopped herb add 2 cups of honey. Bring to a simmer on low heat until it begins to froth (try not to cook your herb to a crisp). Shut it off, let cool. Repeat as often as necessary (2-9 times total, can be done over a few days) until the desired flavor is reached. Strain and pour into a jar. Will keep shelf stable for years.

Key Local Herbs

General Cautions: Allergies can potentially occur with ANYTHING. Always use caution and do your research before taking an herb, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, are on pharmaceutical medications, or have a serious health concern. If an herb produces side effects, stop using it.

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

Conventional basil (O. basilicum) is a valued herbal plant, but I’m especially a fan of the purple-hued holy basil which has an aromatic, sweet taste and is revered in Ayurvedic medicine in India. It’s one of the few stress-relieving “adaptogens” that grows easily in the garden.

Medicinal Uses: Holy basil appears to modulate stress hormone output and help the body adapt to stress (“adaptogen”). In particular it may help lower cortisol, the stress hormone implicated in diabetes and abdominal weight gain. Holy basil makes a lovely tea for modest blood sugar control and to reduce carbohydrate cravings (great with jasmine green tea). The herb is calming and well-suited before meditation or a yoga class to promote a good mindset. It has many other uses, from colds and flu to ulcer protection to radiation protection. It’s a remarkable herb that is gaining ground in the U.S.

Growing Conditions: This herb thrives in a sunny location in well-drained rich soil. Basil species are well suited for containers, as seen throughout the Mediterranean neighborhoods, as well as in temples throughout Indian temples. Grow from seed, buy seedlings, or use a cutting. Harvest the top two thirds of the plant, just above a node, every few weeks. Basil will grow in all zones as an annual.Young basil plants are prone to “dampening off” due to fungus in wet soil. Water in the morning to help control this. I find holy basil to be more forgiving than conventional basil, though it will also not tolerate frost.

Tea Attributes: Enjoy basil on its own, with mints, lemon balm, or jasmine green tea.

Also Try: Herbal honey, fresh or dry tincture.

Bee Balm (Monarda spp) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

True to its name, bee balm is a favorite amongst bees and hummingbirds thanks to its sweet nectar and bright red, pink and purple blooms. Bee balms great looks and low-maintenance care have earned it a place in many home gardens. However, few realize that the leaves and flowers make one of our best herbal teas, in spite of its other common names: Oswego tea and bergamont. wild or purple bergamont (M. fistulosa) and red bee balm (M. didyma) are the top tea favorites. Look for them in the perennial flower section of your nursery.

Medicinal Uses: Michael Moore instilled in me a love for thyme-y Monarda species. It makes a great tea or herbal honey for sore throats, colds and flues, etc. The warming, spicy quality may also stimulate the digestive system.

Growing Conditions: Bee balms prefer rich soil in full sun to partial shade. Water needs vary by species. Grow it by seeds, seedlings, or root division. Divide roots after three years. Harvest the top two thirds of the plant, just above a node, every few weeks. Powdery mildew can be a problem, but regular harvesting should keep it under control.

Tea Attributes: Bee balm became a popular beverage tea after the Boston Tea Party for its similarity to black tea. Some liken it to Earl Grey. Its citrus-oregano-thyme flavor will change slightly from mild to spicy depending on the species, variety, and climate. It blends well with mild, sweet mints like apple mint, pineapple mint, and spearmint.

Also Try: Herbal honey, fresh or dry tincture, steam.

Burdock (Arctium lappa. A. minor) Sunflower Family ~ WILDCRAFT

This friend of dandelion is a common weed and has similar, complimentary flavors and medicinal properties. You know burdock because the round burrs stick to your clothes and inspired the creation of Velcro.

Medicinal Uses: It is delicious sliced thinly or into matchsticks and sautéed with sesame seeds, soy sauce, and a little honey. It also makes a pleasant earthy tea (just dry chopped root slices). You can buy the fresh root in natural food stores, or in Asian markets as “gobo.” Like dandelion root, burdock is diuretic and a mild liver and digestive stimulant. It is often used for skin conditions including chronic skin eruptions, acne, psoriasis, eczema, boils, and sties. Many herbalists and systems of traditional medicine consider the liver and the skin to be closely linked; work on the liver, and skin conditions are expected to first break out and then clear up. Burdock root is also used to regulate lymphatic fluid (the “back alley” garbage system for sorting toxins, immune system trash, and fat) and improve excretion of toxins.

Cautions: Not recommended during pregnancy. To be safe, it should not be used in gallbladder disease or bile duct obstruction unless under the guidance of a practitioner.

Identification & Harvesting: Burdock grows in yards and disturbed soil, often on the edges of sunny/shady spaces. It has broad leaves that resemble rhubarb. In the summer, they put up tall flower stalks with thistle-like purple flowers. The flowers turn to velcro-like, round, brown burrs. In spring, you can harvest the second-year plants that are popping up with big rhubarb-like leaves but have not yet put up the flower stalk. Dig and clean like dandelion (above). Be warned, it’s a bugger to dig.

Tea Attributes: Slightly bitter, slightly sweet, earthy, mild.

Also Try: Tincture, capsules, vinegar, in food…

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) Sunflower Family ~ CULTIVATE

The beautiful yellow and orange calendula flowers will brighten your garden from early summer through late autumn. These multi-taskers are simultaneously ornamentals, edibles, medicinals, nutritives, and even skin care remedies. You’ll rarely find seedlings in garden centers (some small scale growers sell them to order, and also check plant sales), but the seeds are available almost anywhere seeds are sold. Many varieties are available. I prefer the “resina” variety (best for skin care) as well as any that are bold orange or beautiful to me.

Medicinal Uses: The mild-tasting, edible flowers are packed with carotenoids like beta carotene – 100 times that of a sweet potato by weight! Add them to soups, salads, etc. (The bolder the color, the better.) The greens are slightly bitter, so I often use just the petals if I’m eating them or making tea and don’t want it to taste bitter. Stronger teas and tincture of calendula is healing, slightly antimicrobial, gently detoxifying, and encourages lymph movement and drainage. For this it’s often used for infections of various sorts, GI distress, etc. Topically, infused teas, baths, oils, creams, salves, tinctures, etc. can be used for the soothing, tightening, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. It’s the BEST, safest anti-itch remedy I know. I make calendula oil (and sometimes use this to make a salve or cream) several times a year to use for rashes, dry skin, irritations, facial skin care, diaper rash, hemorrhoids, scars, etc.

Growing Conditions: Calendula does best in the veggie bed with full sun, good soil, and moderate moisture. If it’s happy, this annual will self-seed. You can plant the seeds in fall or spring. Harvest/deadhead regularly (pinch off the flowers) for continual blooms as late as November. Give them space; they can get tall and bushy. Zones 3-10.

Special Needs: None, except sun and good soil.

Tea Attributes: Slightly bitter (unless you use just the petals, which is less bitter) and vitamin-y. Easy to disguise with other herbs. Blends well in chicken stock, nutritive teas like nettles, etc.

Also Try: Herbal oil/salve/cream (topical), tincture, vinegar, as food.

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) Sunflower Family ~ CULTIVATE

The tiny daisy-like chamomiles cheer up any garden and give it a meadow feel. The flowers and foliage have a light pineapple-apple scent to them. Also consider the hardy perennial & Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), which can be used similarly.

Medicinal Uses: Chamomile is best known as a relaxing herb. Many folks enjoy a cup of it before bed or to soothe frayed nerves. Bitter, aromatic properties also make it a great relaxing digestive remedy. It is a premiere children’s herb for digestion, colic, irritability, and teething (weak tea, chamomile popsicles or soak a cloth in tea, freeze, and let the baby chew on it.) Studies suggest that chamomile can even protect the stomach from ulcers.

Growing Conditions: Chamomile will thrive in most soils and conditions, though it prefers a sunny spot. Grow both types of chamomile by seed. Roman chamomile can also be grown by cuttings and root divisions. Dedicate a few leisurely mornings or afternoons throughout the growing season to collect the small flowers for tea. While it may take a while to harvest an adequate amount, their flavor will surpass any store-bought chamomile. German chamomile is an annual that often reseeds. Roman chamomile is a perennial.

Tea Attributes:  Often enjoyed solo, fresh and dry chamomile flowers also provide a light pineapple-y flavor to tea. Consider blending chamomile with mints, alfalfa, and lemon balm.

Also Try: Herbal honey, fresh or dry tincture.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Sunflower Family

This scraggly weed puts out surprisingly beautiful cornflower blue blossoms in the morning, which shut around noon on sunny days. You’ll see them growing in the median strips and in fields. The roots have historically been used as a (caffeine-free) coffee substitute. Endive is from the chicory plant: lop off the leaves to the ground, put a bucket over it, let it grow in the dark, then harvest the light green bundles of leaves as a gourmet green (less bitter than the regular chicory leaves).

Medicinal Uses: Similar to burdock and dandelion, but more mild. Most often used as a gentle liver cleanser and diuretic.

Cautions: See burdock and dandelion.

Identification & Harvesting: The flowers are distinctive, so identify in the morning. Look for it in fields, and don’t harvest near the road or in “dirty” areas. Use a fork or digging stick to get to the roots. Be warned: they like compact, rocky soil! You can grow it in your garden, but it will probably take over and is very difficult to remove. Scrub, chop, dry, and then dry roast.

Tea Attributes: Bitter, earthy, roasted.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) Sunflower Family ~ WILDCRAFT

This is perhaps the most recognized weed in America. It’s also a medicinal and nutritional powerhouse.

Medicinal Uses: The leaves can be eaten, cooked, or made into tea. They’re bitter (less so in the spring, particularly before they flower), stimulate digestion, are rich in vitamins and minerals (especially potassium), and they’re also diuretic (make you pee). The roots can be harvested, chopped up, and dried for tea. (Or used fresh for tinctures and other extracts.) The roots have similar properties as the leaves except that they are particularly good at encouraging the liver to remove and eliminate waste in the form of bile. And, as a diuretic, the roots are more sodium-leaching whereas the leaves are more of a general volume diuretic. The roots may also have the ability to reduce inflammation in the body and even stop the histamine response in seasonal and more serious allergies (ie: fresh tinctured roots slurry). As a tea, enjoy the roots dry or dry roasted… roasting may reduce some medicinal properties, but it gives the tea a more coffee-like flavor. The flowers can be eaten as well, most commonly as in dandelion wine or as fritters.

Cautions: Generally very safe. Don’t use in a bowel or gallbladder obstruction (but, if you have these issues, you aren’t lolling around making a cup of tea!).

Identification & Harvesting: Dandelions grow abundantly in disturbed areas and lawns. There are other common weeds (ie: hawkweeds) that resemble dandelion. Dandelions have jagged leaves at the base (dent-de-lion, or lion’s teeth), and a single, hollow stalk that goes up to one flower. If it doesn’t have jagged leaves, has branches, or has leaves anywhere but the base of the plant, it’s not a dandelion. Don’t bother growing dandelions. Seek them out in areas that are not sprayed, have clean soil, and are away from the road. Dig with a fork or a stick to get at the root. The roots are best harvested in the fall after they’ve been hit by a few frosts. Leaves are best in the spring. But, you can harvest both at any time.

Tea Attributes: Bitter, nutritious, earthy (roots).

Also Try: Tincture, vinegar, pesto…

Korean Licorice Mint (Agastache rugosa) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

Korean licorice mint brightens many home gardens with its long-lasting purple spikes. The leaves and flowers taste like honey and fennel and can be snipped into salad as easily as they can be turned into sweet tea. It is nearly identical to anise hyssop (A. foeniculum), except that the latter has a sharper taste. These beauties attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

Medicinal Uses: The Agastaches are generally cooling and rich in antioxidants—perfect for a summertime sipper. They are soothing to the digestive system and the respiratory tract.

Growing Conditions: This perennial is low-fuss. It will grow in rich or poor soil in full sun to partial shade. Grow from seed, seedling, cutting, or root division. Harvest the top two thirds of the plant, just above a node, every few weeks. Zones 4-10.

Special Needs: Korean licorice mint rarely suffers from disease or pests. However, it may seed itself throughout your garden. It’s a short-lived perennial, so keep the babies.

Tea Attributes: Licorice mint will lighten and sweeten any tea with its licorice flavor. It blends well with mints, chamomile, lemon balm, and rose petals.

Also Try: Herbal honey, cordial, fennel-stand in for cooking.

Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) Rose Family ~ CULTIVATE

Many gardeners prize lady’s mantle for its crinkly, dew-kissed foliage even more than its subtle golden flowers. Lady’s mantle is steeped in lore: Dewdrops collected from its leaves were believed to hold magical powers and keep women young.

Medicinal Uses: As its name suggests, lady’s mantle is an herb for the feminine reproductive organs. It is astringent and believed to tonify the uterus. It may also be used in formulas for boggy, irritated intestines. It is primarily used as a tea.

Cautions: Use with caution in pregnancy.

Growing Conditions: Lady’s mantle likes full sun to partial shade in dry or slightly moist soil. Grow this perennial from seed, seedling, or root division. Harvest the young leaves for tea. Lady’s mantle is low maintenance, but cut it back after it flowers to prevent if from reseeding all over the garden.

Tea Attributes: Lady’s mantle tea has a mild, astringent flavor that resembles Chinese tea. It blends well with mints, lemon balm, hibiscus flowers, and raspberry leaves.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

Lemon balm masquerades as its relative Menthas until you rub its leaves to release its intense lemon fragrance. It is loved by bees and other winged pollinators as well as herbalists, who turn to the tea for a relaxing beverage.

Medicinal Uses: Lemon balm is easy to grow and multi-purpose. The citrus-y essential oil is believed to be a mild antidepressant. The herb is used for anxiety and insomnia. Its bitter aromatic properties make it great for digestion (particularly nervous indigestion). Topically, lemon balm is an antiviral herb for herpes including cold sores, gential herpes, chicken pox, and shingles. It appears to block cell receptor sites to prevent the virus from spreading and is best uses at the first sign of a flare-up.

Cautions: Theoretically may reduce thyroid, which is contraindicated for regular use with hypothyroid.

Growing Conditions: True to its mint genes, lemon balm is tolerant of most soil types, full sun to partial shade. You can purchase seedlings, grow it from seed, use a cutting, or root division. Harvest the top two thirds of the plant, just above a node, every few weeks. Lemon balm’s root runners can get invasive. Keep it container-bound or dig out the plant if it spreads too far. Also be sure to cut it back before it goes to seed to prevent rampant reseeding.

Tea Attributes: This herbs bright lemon flavor is prized by tea blenders; however, it is also slightly bitter. Mints, anise hyssop, tarragon, chamomile, and other lemony herbs like lemon verbena, lemon grass, and lemon thyme will all lighten lemon balm’s flavor.

Also Try: Fresh tincture, herbal honey, cordial with other lemon-y herbs. Dried lemon balm loses most of its flavor and properties within six months.

Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

This shrubby evergreen herb will wind around rocks and along walkways, or hold its own in a formal garden bunch. It is less pungent than common thyme (T. vulgaris) and has a citrus flavor enjoyed by both herbalists and chefs. The tiny lavender blooms attract bees and other winged pollinators.

Medicinal Uses: Lemon thyme is a nice tea for singers, sore throats, and mild colds. Turn to T. vulgaris for tough colds and many respiratory complaints. It is even a nice ad junct therapy for asthma.

Growing Conditions: Thyme likes poor, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Thyme can be grown by seedling, seed, cuttings, root division, or layering. Harvest the leaves and flowers at any time. Sheer it up to two thirds down the stem. May rot during a cold, wet season.

Tea Attributes: Lemon thyme adds a warm, slightly spicy lemon taste to tea. It blends well with fresh lemon wedges, freshly grated ginger, cinnamon, lemon balm, lemon verbena, common thyme, bee balm, and mints.

Also Try: Fresh tincture, honey, steam.

The Mints (Mentha spp) Mint Family ~ CULTIVATE

No tea garden is complete without at least one mint. Beyond peppermint (M. x piperita) and spearmint (M. spicata), consider species and variety with other subtle flavors including apple, pineapple, chocolate, orange, ginger, and lemon. Do be careful when planting mints as they can be aggressive spreaders.

Medicinal Uses: Peppermint is our primary medicinal mint. It is antispasmodic and useful for most digestive ailments—indigestion, gas, intestinal pain, boating, IBS, but NOT acid reflux (it can make this worse). Also helps to clear the sinuses and is a mild diaphoretic for fevers. Enteric-coated pills are particularly helpful for IBS and intestinal pain. Other mints are milder.

Cautions: Generally very safe, but peppermint can irritate acid reflux and ulcers.

Growing Conditions: Mints are readily available in nurseries and can also be grown from cuttings and root divisions. They do not grow well by seed—flavor will be lost. Mint grows in a variety of soils and conditions. Some species, including spearmint, thrive in damp soil. Harvest the top two thirds of the plant, just above a node, every few weeks. Help control mint from spreading by keeping it sparely watered. Also consider keeping it container-bound to control the roots. It may occasionally get powdery mildew, but this can be discouraged with regular harvesting.

Tea Attributes: Mint is the most recognized herbal tea. It blends well with other Mentha species and mint family relatives including anise hyssop, bee balm, lemon balm, basil, thyme, and rosemary. It also combines nicely with chamomile, rose petals, cinnamon or bland herbs like nettle and alfalfa.

Also Try: Tincture, cordial, steam.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica spp) Nettle Family ~ CULTIVATE or WILDCRAFT

Yes, this is stinging nettles, a plant much hated by gardeners and hikers because it will sting you much like a fire and or bee sting. However, it also is a delicious herb for tea or food, and it’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods you’ll find! Harvest the leaves in spring, before they go to flower. (See cautions.)

Medicinal Uses: Nettle is rich in vitamins, minerals, and chlorophyll. It’s one of the most concentrated and bioavailable forms of calcium available. A regular infusion of nettles is somewhat weak on minerals (it’s not easy to pull minerals out of a plant). However, try Susun Weed’s “Super Infusion” method, which reportedly has 500 mg calcium per cup! Steep 1 ounce of dried nettles in 1 quart of near-boiling water. Let sit for FOUR hours, then strain. Nettles is a diuretic and may have some antihistamine benefits to boot. Note: Alfalfa has similar nutritive benefits and flavor; however, I generally prefer nettles.

Cautions: If you don’t want to be stung, wear long sleeves, pants, and gloves while harvesting nettles. Once it’s cooked, dried, or blended, the sting will disappear. It is generally not recommended to pick nettles once they have flowered and produce seeds (possible kidney/urinary irritation). They also taste much better in the early, spring, non-flowering state. Make sure you have real nettles, as there are some imposters. The main look-alike is deadnettles (Lamium spp), which resembled nettles without the sting before it flowers. Once the plants flower, they look quite different. Nettles has greenish seedy flowers whereas deadnettles has mint-family pink or white flowers.

Growing Conditions: Nettles is a stinging weed, so think carefully before you plant it. It likes rich soil (compost, former cow pastures) and will grow in full sun, part sun, or shade. Nettles is a perennial as well as a rampant self-sower. “Deadhead” the flowers before they seed to reduce spreading. It can grow to 2-4 feet tall.

Tea Attributes: In a typical tea, nettles has a mild, green flavor that can be very pleasant on its own, and it provides a good “base note” for more flavorful herbs. (The “Super Infusion” is much stronger and will take some getting used to.)

Also Try: Fresh or dried nettles in place of spinach (cooked). Fresh leaves in smoothies.

Stevia or Sweetleaf (Stevia rebaudiana) Sunflower Family ~ CULTIVATE

This intensely sweet herb is becoming more common in garden centers and plant sales. Use small amounts of the leaves to sweeten tea blends or make sweetening remedies. It has no calories, no carbohydrates, is safe for diabetics, and is generally extremely safe. The tender perennial is native to South American. It won’t overwinter here, but it will be happy in your garden bed for summer. You can try to bring it inside during the winter. Stevia does have a slightly bitter tastes, but almost everyone agrees that real stevia leaves from the garden taste far better than the commercial stevia products. Don’t overdo it – just a pinch for tea. Younger leaves tend to taste better than older ones.

Medicinal Uses: We mainly use stevia as a natural, healthy, sugar-free sweetener for diabetics or anyone trying to cut back on sugar. Earlier allegations that stevia causes cancer appear to be unfounded.

Growing Conditions: It likes sun, rich soil, and plenty of water. Bring it indoors in winter if you want to keep it from year to year.

Tea Attributes: Sweet! Use just a pinch per cup of tea. I think it tastes better sweetening teas that are leaf and flower based (rather than roots and barks).

Also Try: Whatever strikes your fancy! I like it steeped in a good white vinegar to sweeten salad dressings and marinades.

Red Raspberry Leaf (Rubrus idaeus) Rose Family ~ WILDCRAFT

Wild red raspberries are not always prolific bearers of fruit; however, they are a great source for free tea! Harvest the leaves of first year wild raspberry in the spring and summer. First year plants will have green stems and a vibrancy unlike second-year plants (which have woody stems from the previous year, less prolific leaves, and later will produce flowers and fruit). The stems of raspberry have hairy thorns rather than the sharp thorns of a blackberry; however, you still may want to wear gloves. Note: Raspberry’s relative, wild strawberry (Fragaria spp) leaves can be harvested and used in much the same way as raspberry leaves. Of course, you can also harvest and dry the fruits of raspberry and/or strawberry for tea, but that’s a lot of work!

Medicinal Uses: Red raspberry leaves can be used at almost any time in a woman’s lifespan to tonify the reproductive tissues, particularly the uterus. It appears to improve tone and blood supply. Many women drink a cup or two of a tea a day during the last trimester or two of pregnancy to facilitate easy, swift birth. It is an astringent, slightly diuretic, and relatively tasty tea that may also be helpful for canker sores, boggy digestive tissue, UTIs, and wound healing. It is mildly helpful as a hemostatic and for diarrhea.

Growing Conditions: Wild raspberry is better for tea and medicine than its cultivars, but it’s not the most obedient garden plant, nor a great producer of berries. Your better off wildcrafting it than trying to grow it.

Tea Attributes: Pleasantly mild and astringent on its own. It also provides a nice “base note” for other ingredients. Blends well with rose petals, lady’s mantle, anise hyssop/licorice mint, nettles, mints, rosehips, lemony herbs, etc.

Other great local teas…

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp) – Leaves are astringent, lower blood sugar, and help ease UTIs. Berries are fruity, sweet, rich in antioxidants, and helpful for eyesight and capillary health. Wild is best. Home cultivated is ok. Likes acidic soil.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) – Leaves and flowers are useful as a sedative, bitter digestive for colic, and as a diaphoretic for fevers. (And, of course, for driving kitties crazy!) Bitter, but blends well with mints. Self-seeding garden perennial.

Horsetail (Equisetum spp) – The “tails” of this ancient plant can be harvested and dried for a nutritious tea rich in the mineral silica. More potent if you allow it to simmer and/or infuse for several hours. Also diuretic. Be sure to harvest from “clean” areas as it will concentrate agrobusiness waste in runoff. Wild, near water.

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) – Leaves are intensely, deliciously fragrant and lemony. Best fresh or at least freshly dried. Tender garden perennial.

Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) – Leaves have a fresh pinapple scent when crushed and can be used fresh or dry in a pleasant, slightly astringent tea. Blends nicely with peach. Tender garden perennial.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) – Leaves and flowers are a useful sedative for sleep, anxiety, and general relaxation. Bitter, but blends well with mints. Perennial, also wild.

Wintergreen (Gaultharia procumbens) Leaves & Black Birch (Betula lenta) Bark – These two wild herbs have a pleasant wintergreeny flavor. Asprin-like compounds in them help relieve pain and reduce fevers. Wintergreen leaves can be tricky to dry without molding. Prune birch branches up to about 1 inch thick and scrape off the bark with a knife. Smaller twigs can just be chopped up. These plants should not be used in high doses or long term; not recommended with kidney disease. (The essential oils of these plants are quite toxic, but modest use as tea is fine for most people.) Wild.

Lavandula