Herbal teas offer fragrance, flavor, and health benefits without calories or caffeine. This article offers some tips on growing your own fresh herb tea ingredients.
Benefits of Growing Your Own Herbal Teas
Growing your own tea herbs gives you constant access to a free supply of ingredients. During the growing season (or year-round if you live in the South or keep a container garden) you can enjoy really fresh herbs.
In the off-season, you’ll have home-dried herbs, which are likely to be fresher than store-bought dried herbs.
9 of My Favorite Herbs for Tea
A full listing of all the herbs you could grow and use in tea would fill a substantial book. Here are a few of my favorites, selected for flavor and for their health-giving properties.
I struggle with anxiety, so I’ve been grateful for herbs that soothe the nervous system.
1. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil is an easy-to-grow, heat-loving annual that’s best known as a cooking spice. It also makes a rich, savory tea.
Rosemary Gladstar notes that basil soothes both the digestive system and the nervous system. It may ease gas, nausea, and stomach cramps, as well as anxiety, depression, and nervous exhaustion. I’ve used it to help me relax.
Basil is frost-sensitive. Cold-climate gardeners may start it indoors 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost, as I do. Plant it in rich, moist soil and full sun. Keep pinching back the tips so the plant doesn’t flower.
2. Chamomile
Chamomile has sweet, apple-scented blossoms that make a delicate and pleasing tea, which I’ve used to ease stress.
Sarah Garland writes that chamomile may also help prevent nightmares, and the National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs describes its traditional use for indigestion, heartburn, flatulence, and muscle tension.
There are two types of chamomile used for herbal teas.
- German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is an annual which grows as far north as zone 2.
- Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is a perennial hardy to zone 4.
German chamomile grows quickly, maturing in about 8 weeks. It may self-seed, though I’ve had to replant mine deliberately year after year.
Grow it in full sun and pick or clip flowers just as the petals open. The sweet flavor of chamomile can begin to turn bitter if you steep it longer than five minutes.
3. Elder (Sambucus canadensis / Sambucus nigra)
Elder is a large perennial shrub whose graceful white flower umbels ripen into red, then deep blue berries.
Rosemary Gladstar says that the flowers of Sambucus nigra are diaphoretic, stimulating sweating and helping to break fevers. Corinne Martin describes similar properties for S. canadensis in her book – Earthmagic: Finding and Using Medicinal Herbs.
I’ve only used the berries, which are traditionally used to support the immune system; I drink elder tea when I’m coming down with a cold. The National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs also notes its use for allergies, flu, and bronchitis, and describes the berries as antiviral.
Elder grows best in moist, fertile soil.
4. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender is a bushy perennial hardy to zone 4 or 5.
I’ve used tea made from its fragrant flowers to relieve anxiety, and I find that it also makes me sleepy. Herbalists often recommend it for low mood and (when combined with other feverfew) for headaches.
It’s one of the best-tasting herbs I know.
5. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon balm is a soft-stemmed perennial with a sweet, fresh lemony fragrance and flavor.
It’s known for soothing both the nervous and digestive systems. It also has a mild sedative effect and may help people sleep if they’re kept awake by grief or worry. It’s also considered rich in polyphenols, which have antiviral properties.
6. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
Marshmallow is a perennial whose long stems, tipped with a spike of flowers, grow up to 4 feet tall.
A tea made from its roots soothes inflamed tissues. I use it to ease the pain and swelling of sore throats. It’s also traditionally used for irritation in the stomach and bowels, and may help neutralize stomach acid.
Marshmallow is officially hardy to zone 5, though it can sometimes survive colder conditions. It grows best in moist, loamy soil and can handle either full sun or partial shade. We dig plants up every year and divide them, saving some roots for tea and replanting the rest.
Roots should be boiled in water for at least 5 minutes, then steeped for at least 5 more minutes to extract their properties.
7. Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Peppermint is a vigorously spreading perennial. The taste is fresh and pleasant.
Its fragrant leaves are best known as a digestive aid, easing gas, nausea, and stomach cramps. The National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs also suggests mint tea for coughs, colds, muscle aches, tension headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Peppermint is hardy at least in my zone 4/5 garden. It prefers moist, rich soil and grows well in full sun or partial shade. It spreads by runners and can easily take over an herb garden. Keep the tips pinched back to prevent flowering so the plant will keep putting its energy into leaves.
8. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage is a bushy, woody perennial hardy to zone 4.
Its leaves make a savory tea with a range of traditional uses. Sage helps in the digestion of rich, fatty meat (which may be why it’s so often paired with sausage in cooking).
Herbalists also describe it as helpful for rebuilding strength during long illness, relieving stress, and supporting hormonal balance. It may also help ease hot flashes and night sweats.
The National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs adds that sage has traditionally been used for coughs, colds, sore throats, and tonsillitis.
9. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is a very hardy perennial.
Its leaves and flowers make a strongly flavored tea that’s traditionally used to help fight infections. Herbalists often recommend it for colds, sore throats, and oral infections, and describe it as a tonic herb rich in antioxidants. It’s also been used for asthma and digestive upset.
Thyme will grow almost anywhere, though it thrives best in full sun and well-drained soil. It spreads vigorously, so be prepared to divide your thyme regularly. Don’t plant it too close to more delicate plants, or it may grow right over them.
Designing Your Tea Garden
Your tea garden can be as large or small, as simple or complex, as you choose.
Many tea herbs, including basil, chamomile, lemon balm, mint, sage, and thyme, can be grown in containers in a sunny space. If you have limited room, you might choose just one or two favorite herbs, or create a small, dedicated tea garden.
Be sure to keep vigorous spreaders like mint, lemon balm, and thyme from crowding everything else out. You can do this by planting them in isolated areas bordered by rocks or lawn.
When my family had only a small garden, my mother kept mint contained by planting it in sections of wide PVC pipe buried several inches deep, with the tops extending slightly above the soil.
Tips for Making Teas with Your Own Herbs
- Pack fresh leaves or flowers into a tea ball, place it in your mug or teapot, and pour in boiling water
- Or steep loose herbs and strain before drinking
- Let tea steep for 5–10 minutes
- Don’t steep chamomile longer than 5 minutes
- Use about twice as much fresh herbs as dried
- Chop roots, bark, or dried berries and simmer in water for about 5 minutes, then steep for another 5 or10 minutes
- For blended teas, simmer roots and berries first, then add leaves and flowers after removing from heat
For more details, see our guide on making herbal tea.
Summary
You don’t need a lot of time, money, or expertise to grow an herbal tea garden that will provide beauty, fragrance, flavor, relaxation, and health-supporting benefits.