Plants for Herbal Teas

[manictaz]

1. Mint
Mint leaves (newer leaves have better flavor than older ones) can be brewed to make a refreshing iced tea or hot tea and are good for calming the digestive system. The most common mints, peppermint and spearmint, prefer moist soils and full to partial sun. Mint grows quickly and may overtake the garden--but in this case it's not necessarily a bad thing is it?

2. Chamomile
Tea made from the dried flowers of the German chamomile ( Matricaria recutita) is calming and usually an ingredient in "bedtime" teas. Resembling miniature daisies, German chamomile is an annual that usually reseeds itself so you don't have to. It prefers a sunny location and moist but well-drained soils.

3. Bee Balm (aka Oswego tea and bergamot)
Tisanes (a fancy name for herbal tea infusions) made from bee balm's colorful flowers (learn more about bee balm) have a citrus-mint flavor. Garnish the tea with a few petals or even the entire bee balm flower and you will be known as the "hostess with the mostest"!

4. Thyme
Like peppermint and spearmint, thyme is also a member of the mint family, but has an entirely different taste. While thyme makes for an interesting herbal tea, it is most often used medicinally to treat colds and the flu. Native to the Mediterranean, thyme prefers a sunny spot in the garden and drier soils.

5. Lemon Verbena
Popular in Europe, an herbal tea made with the lemon-scented leaves of the lemon verbena plant has an intense lemon flavor. It prefers somewhat drier soil and at least 6 hours of sunlight to thrive. Try serving lemon verbena iced tea with some fresh fruit.

[Stika]

Originally Posted by manictaz

1. Mint
Mint leaves (newer leaves have better flavor than older ones) can be brewed to make a refreshing iced tea or hot tea and are good for calming the digestive system. The most common mints, peppermint and spearmint, prefer moist soils and full to partial sun. Mint grows quickly and may overtake the garden--but in this case it's not necessarily a bad thing is it?

2. Chamomile
Tea made from the dried flowers of the German chamomile ( Matricaria recutita) is calming and usually an ingredient in "bedtime" teas. Resembling miniature daisies, German chamomile is an annual that usually reseeds itself so you don't have to. It prefers a sunny location and moist but well-drained soils.

3. Bee Balm (aka Oswego tea and bergamot)
Tisanes (a fancy name for herbal tea infusions) made from bee balm's colorful flowers (learn more about bee balm) have a citrus-mint flavor. Garnish the tea with a few petals or even the entire bee balm flower and you will be known as the "hostess with the mostest"!

4. Thyme
Like peppermint and spearmint, thyme is also a member of the mint family, but has an entirely different taste. While thyme makes for an interesting herbal tea, it is most often used medicinally to treat colds and the flu. Native to the Mediterranean, thyme prefers a sunny spot in the garden and drier soils.

5. Lemon Verbena
Popular in Europe, an herbal tea made with the lemon-scented leaves of the lemon verbena plant has an intense lemon flavor. It prefers somewhat drier soil and at least 6 hours of sunlight to thrive. Try serving lemon verbena iced tea with some fresh fruit.

something else you may or may not know about camamile tea. it helps with hemaroids, and helps prevent them comming out in the first place.