Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
A perennial favorite in the tea garden, hardy in Zones 5 through 9, this plant was second in popularity only to lavender in Victorian days. It has toothed leaves on square stems, and flowers in summer and fall. It is very fragrant; hummingbirds just love the purple spikes of flowers. You will want to plant this at the back of the tea garden, because it can grow to 4 feet tall. The leaves and flowers are used in teas for their delicate blend of mint and sweet anise flavors. Sometimes this plant is called the licorice plant or root beer plant. Members of the Chippewa and Cheyenne tribes drank anise hyssop tea for respiratory problems and chest pains.
The flowers also dry well and are popular in dried floral designs. New seedlings appear in spring and are happily accepted here! New cultivars give gardeners a choice of flower colors as well.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil is an annual that will not tolerate any frost. Grow as an annual in Zones 3–9, and as a perennial in Zone 10. It should be set out only after all danger of frost has passed. The plants grow 12 to 18 inches tall, so they can be placed near the front of the garden. Pinch off the flowers to encourage more leaves, and pinch growing tips to make the plant bushier. Basil comes in a variety of colors and flavors, so plant several for variety. Sweet basil leaves have a spicy clove flavor said to promote digestion, which makes basil a good after-dinner tea. The flowers are flavorful; add these to your teas, too. Some of the scented basils include cinnamon (O. basilicum ‘Cinnamon’), anise (O. basilicum ‘Anise’), and lemon (O. basilicum ‘Citriodorum’). These varieties each combine basil flavor with a hint of the spice they are named for. These plants also make delicious herbal jellies.
Basil
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Calendula is often called pot marigold. It grows up to 2 feet tall and produces flowers resembling marigolds in yellow, orange, cream, and gold. The flowers are valued not just for tea making but also to add color and flavor to soups, stews, and breads. The petals have even been used in place of saffron to color and flavor rice. The tea made from the petals is not strongly flavored if you pull them from the flower heads and dry them. If you use the entire flower head, though, the tea will be more bitter tasting and may need to be sweetened with honey. I use the petals to add their orange and yellow colors to my tea blends, especially the lemony blends. Try adding a handful to your orange cookie or scone recipe, too.
Calendula
An added benefit of this plant in the tea garden is its hardiness. Because it can survive light frosts and early snows, it adds color through fall and even into winter, until the temperature dips into the 20°F range. It often self-sows, making it very popular in herb gardens. For beauty in the garden and tea blends, add calendula to your tea herb collection.
Catnip and catmint (Nepeta spp.)
Catnip, or N. cataria, is a member of the Mint family. It is best grown in Zones 4 through 9, where it can grow up to 3 feet tall and is definitely a back-row plant. It is a hardy perennial that self-sows; you will be weeding the seedlings out next year. Cats in your neighborhood will find you. One year I had to put a tomato cage over my plant because every morning it was crushed down to the ground! Catnip has a stimulating effect on cats that nibble it; they’ll roll in it and bat it around. The effect on people is said to be the opposite — calming. The flavor is minty. I use it in iced tea. The leaves are best harvested before the plant flowers in late summer; after that it becomes rangy and sparse.
Catnip
Another Nepeta, catmint (N. mussini and N. x faassenii), makes a wonderful border for the herb bed. It is closely related to catnip and perennial in the same zones. Depending on the cultivar selected, catmint can have a short, creeping growth habit (some, like ‘Six Hills Giant’, are very tall, so read plant and seed information carefully). It doesn’t attract cats like catnip. In spring the plant is covered with blue blossoms. The flavor of the leaves is also minty.
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
There are two common kinds of chamomile: Roman (Chamaemelum nobile), which is a perennial ground cover in Zones 3 through 8, and German (Matricaria recutita), an annual that is more upright. German chamomile has delicate, fernlike leaves and white flowers that resemble daisies. Both plants have similar-looking apple-scented flowers. Tea is brewed from the flowers, so the annual variety is most often used for teas because its flowers are more abundant and pungent. The plant comes into bloom in early June, and grows about 18 inches tall. Harvest and dry the flowers in June for tea in the winter. You will need to buy chamomile only once, because it self-sows so readily you will be weeding the seedlings out of cracks in the walkway next spring! It is very easy to grow from seeds, which can be scattered on the ground in spring.
Chamomile
I have found that chamomile tea becomes bitter if it is brewed too long. Traditionally used for a bedtime tea, it is supposed to promote sleep and help an upset stomach. The herbal jelly made from chamomile flowers tastes remarkably like honey.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
There are countless lavender varieties, but I prefer to grow the English lavender ‘Munstead’. It is very hardy (to –20°F), has a deep-colored flower, and reaches a compact height of only 18 or 20 inches. Most lavenders are hardy in Zones 5 through 8, and they produce lavender-blue flowers in midsummer. Their aromatic foliage is silver-green and needle shaped. When growing lavender, take care to provide well-drained soil. Lavender loss over winter is usually because of water around the roots. Trim back to the new growth each spring to keep the plant from becoming woody. The oil concentration is highest in the flower bud. You can make tea from the buds or flower heads. The taste is cooling and aromatic. I like it combined with other herbs, as well: It makes an exotic-flavored tea. Historically, lavender tea has been used to cure insomnia and nervousness.
Lavender
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
This lemon-scented herb is also in the Mint family, and hardy in Zones 5 through 8. Because of its spreading habit, I have relegated this plant to the back of the house or next to the garage, where the lawn mower keeps it in check! Don’t make the mistake of putting it into a bed of mixed plants, because it will take over. It is one of the few herbs that grow well in part shade; it may sunburn in full sun unless it is given compost-rich soil to grow in. This herb is best used fresh in herbal teas — it doesn’t hold its flavor well when dried. It is also better before it goes into flower. This herb is excellent by the handful in sun tea. (See page 23.)
Nicholas Culpeper, a prominent British herbalist of the 17th century, noted that lemon balm “causeth the mind and heart to become merry, and driveth away all troublesome cares.” Later, a study on laboratory mice indicated the herb seemed to have a sedative effect on the nervous system. Other studies showed the oil of lemon balm seemed to inhibit viruses and bacteria. If nothing else, its lemony flavor may lift your spirits!
Lemon balm
‘Lemon Gem’ and ‘Orange Gem’ marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia)
These annual flowers are some of the many types of Tagetes. They grow easily from seed and often will self-sow for next year. They reach a height of about 1 foot — perfect for a border plant. The lacy foliage is covered with masses of dainty yellow (‘Lemon Gem’) or orange (‘Orange Gem’) blossoms that are edible. Both the flowers and foliage have a pungent citrus flavor and aroma. Besides using them for teas, you can sprinkle them on salads and fruit desserts.
Another fine marigold for herbal tea is called Mexican mint marigold or sweet marigold (Tagetes lucida). This plant grows to 2 feet tall, and its leaves are used for a soothing tea that has a sweet anise or tarragon type of flavor.
Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla)
Although a tender perennial (hardy in Zones 9 and 10) that has to be wintered indoors in northern climates, this plant is worth the trouble. Its lance-shaped leaves have the strongest lemon scent of any herb, and, unlike lemon balm, it dries well. Lemon verbena can get tall and twiggy after two or three growing seasons; remove growing tips regularly to keep it smaller and spreading. For herbal teas it can be combined with mints or fresh lemon balm. It is also good in sun tea. When you bring this herb indoors to winter over, cut back stems and cut back on the water. Usually by late winter all its leaves will have dropped off, and you will be quite sure it is dead. Do not throw the plant away — nine times out of ten, new leaves will grow from the dead-looking branches when it is time to once again put the plant outside!
Lemon verbena
By far the most popular and easy-to-grow tea herbs, mints come in a variety of flavors, from citrus to peppermint. Many people do not realize how many mint varieties there are. They do best in Zones 5 through 9. And remember the warning I gave you earlier about containing mint plants — they can be invasive. In the center of my tea garden is a row of sunken chimney tiles, each with a different type of mint planted inside.
You should obtain mint plants from a rooted plug or cutting or as seedlings from a reliable source, because mints cross-breed easily. Make sure you label your mints, as they look somewhat alike. Handfuls of these fresh mints are absolutely essential in iced tea or sun tea (see page 23). Use less dried.
Often taken after dinner, mint tea is said to promote digestion. The menthol in peppermint has been found to relieve indigestion, flatulence, and nausea. It may also help relieve menstrual cramps.
Mint
Spearmint
Orange mint
Also called bee balm, bergamot, and Oswego tea, monarda is a perennial in the Mint family. The most common cultivar, M. didyma ‘Cambridge Scarlet’, has bright red flowers and is a hardy perennial in Zones 4 through 9. This plant is best suited for the back of the herb bed — it grows into quite a large clump, about 3 feet tall. The Native Americans from the region of Oswego, New York, taught the colonists to make tea from this native plant as a substitute for highly taxed tea from England. To make tea from monarda, you can use the flowers or leaves. It has a pungent, minty flavor that requires a longer brewing time (about 15 minutes), and may need honey. Historical uses for monarda tea have included relieving stomach problems such as nausea, and soothing coughs and sore throats.
Monarda is one of the few tea herbs susceptible to problems. Powdery mildew, a powdery white fungus that grows on leaves, can infect your monarda. To prevent this, thin your patch by removing stems to allow good air circulation. If you do get powdery mildew, another tea herb can be called in to help fight the problem: Oddly enough, chamomile tea, sprayed on the leaves of infected plants, can combat this disease! And if your conditions favor powdery mildew no matter what you do, consider planting a mildew-resistant cultivar like ‘Marshall’s Delight’.
Monarda
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans)
A tender perennial, pineapple sage has a wonderful pineapple scent. It is the last plant to bloom in the herb garden, and has scarlet red flowers. Many years I have to cover it to protect it from frost while waiting to see the blooms; then I bring it into the greenhouse to overwinter. To save space in your greenhouse, or if you only have a windowsill and no greenhouse, take cuttings, which grow readily in pots. The leaves of this tea herb are best used fresh. They can also garnish a cold beverage or fruit salad. The plant can get quite tall — it is a back-row plant.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
This is a tender perennial shrub hardy in Zones 8 through 10. Elsewhere it must winter indoors. It has very fragrant, needlelike leaves and clusters of small pink, white, or blue flowers. The tea made from rosemary is piney and aromatic. It has been used for clearing a stuffy head, treating migraine headaches, and relaxing tension. It is quite pungent and may need honey — or you can combine it with other herbs.
The key to overwintering rosemary is to keep it moist. This is not an easy task in the dry heat of the modern household. Try placing the pot of rosemary on a tray of wet pebbles to promote a moist environment around the plant. A cool sunporch that maintains a 50°F temperature is ideal for overwintering. Such cool temperatures will also promote blooming, which is unlikely at average household temperatures.
Rosemary
The word salvia is from the Latin salvere, which means “to be well.” There are over 900 different species of sages, many of which can be used in tea. Garden sage has beautiful silver-green leaves on plants that can reach a height of about 2 to 3 feet. It is hardy in Zones 4 through 8. To add color to your sage bed, try growing purple sage (S. officinalis, ‘Purpurascens’), which has purple-gray foliage. Or try ‘Tricolor’ (gray-green leaves variegated pink and ivory) or ‘Icterina’, which has yellow variegated leaves and grows 24 to 32 inches. To keep sage plants from getting “woody” after three or four growing seasons, cut back old growth in spring, and divide plants every 2 to 3 years to rejuvenate. In winter, sage is an excellent tea. It has been used to soothe colds and sore throats. This is a good tea to keep in the pot on the stove and dilute with hot water to keep you warm throughout a cold winter day. In summer it is best enjoyed iced with lemon and sugar. Sage is traditionally associated with immortality, wisdom, and a long life.
Sage
Scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.)
These plants are native to South Africa, and therefore perennial in Zone 10; they’re tender in temperate climates. They are grown for their scented leaves; the flowers are neither large nor showy. There are many species, with a bevy of scents from rose to fruit and spices like nutmeg. The leaf shapes and growth habits also vary with the cultivar. In short but hot summers they can grow to be quite large; in winter, take cuttings and bring them indoors. You can dig up the entire plant and bring it in, but sometimes it is difficult for the plant to survive this, because its strained roots have such a large top growth to sustain. Take cuttings for insurance.
Geranium
The citrus scents lemon and lime — P. crispum and P. x nervosum — make light flavored teas, but can be added to lemon verbena or mint teas. Rose geranium (P. graveolens), with its rose-scented leaves, makes a very interesting and enjoyable tea. The flavor is best if you use fresh leaves, but dried are acceptable. The selection of these interesting plants seems to keep growing.