Making your own herbal teas is a wonderful way to enjoy the aromas, flavors, and traditional wellness uses of herbs. You can grow many tea herbs at home, harvest them fresh, or dry them for year-round use.

Herbal teas are also called herbal infusions or tisanes. Although some herbs have been studied for health benefits, traditional use does not always mean a remedy has been proven effective. The best approach is to start with a few familiar herbs and learn how to prepare them safely.

1. Choose your herbs and their traditional uses

2. Learn the two basic ways to prepare herbal tea

3. Try these homemade herbal tea recipes

These recipes are intended as flavorful, beginner-friendly drinks rather than treatments for disease.

4. How to grow, harvest, and dry herbs for tea8

1. Grow or source the right plants. Choose correctly identified, edible culinary herbs from a reputable nursery or supplier.

2. Harvest carefully. Pick healthy leaves and flowers on a dry day after the dew has evaporated. Avoid roadsides and plants exposed to pesticides or animal waste.

3. Clean the harvest. Remove dirt, insects, and damaged plant material. Follow appropriate washing and drying practices for the particular herb.

4. Dry thoroughly. Spread herbs in a single layer in a clean, shaded, well-ventilated area, or use a suitable dehydrator at a low temperature. Drying time varies with the plant and humidity.

5. Store correctly. Keep fully dried herbs in clean, airtight containers away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. Label each jar with the common name, botanical name, and harvest date.

6. Check before use. Discard herbs that develop mold, unusual odors, or signs of contamination.

Never eat or brew a wild plant unless you can positively identify the species and confirm that it is safe for consumption.

5. Make your own herbal tea blends

Once you are comfortable preparing single herbs, you can experiment with blends. Start with two ingredients so you can understand each herb’s flavor and how you tolerate it.

These are flavor combinations, not proven medicinal formulas. Do not assume that combining herbs makes them more effective or safer.

6. Important safety guidelines

Medicinal herbs can have side effects and interact with medications. Natural does not automatically mean safe.

• Start with one herb at a time and use modest amounts.

• Check medication interactions with your pharmacist or healthcare professional, especially if you take prescription medicines or have a chronic health condition.

• Take extra care during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Many herbs have not been adequately studied for safety in these situations.

   

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• Use the correct plant species and plant part. Some plants that look similar are toxic.

• Avoid strong medicinal preparations unless you have reliable, herb-specific instructions. Concentrated extracts and essential oils are not equivalent to ordinary tea.

• Seek medical care when needed. Herbal tea should not replace prescribed treatment or delay evaluation of persistent or serious symptoms.

For more detailed information about individual herbs, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health provides an evidence-based Herbs at a Glance guide.

7. Create your own medicinal tea collection

If you want to make herbal teas regularly, begin with five basics:

A useful next step: Choose what you would most like your tea collection to focus on—relaxation, digestion, seasonal comfort, or general everyday wellness—and build your recipes around that goal.