Grow your own tea - 6 plants for your teacup
Growing your own herbal tea is both fun and easy – and also healthy and delicious. Here are six plants that are particularly well-suited for your teacup.
Written by: Liselotte Roll
Swedish garden inspirer, journalist and author of books about nature, cultivation and animals, such as "Soil", "Grow for insects" and "Chickens as a hobby".
It is said that the first cup of tea was created by accident around five thousand years ago. The Chinese emperor Shen Nung is said to have been sitting under a tree drinking hot water when a leaf slowly fell into his cup. The leaf was a tea leaf, and he supposedly enjoyed the taste so much that a new tradition was born. Whether this is true or not is unclear, but it is highly likely that tea originally came from China. And over time, tea has become an important part of culture in many countries. What would Japan be without its beautiful tea ceremonies or England without its "afternoon tea"?
What types of tea can you grow in the north?
Real tea leaves can be difficult to cultivate here at our latitudes, but fortunately there are many herbs that can be used instead. Each has its own special taste, and many of them are said to have health-promoting properties.
1. Temynte
Despite the name, the red-flowering temynt is not a mint, but both flowers and leaves can be used for tea. It is best when mixed with another flavorful tea plant, such as peppermint or blackcurrant leaves. Temynt, which comes from the American prairie, thrives best in the sun, but will not dry out. In addition to being a good tea plant, temynt is also popular among butterflies, attracted by the beautiful red flowers. Another good relative is lemon temynt, an annual purple plant with hints of lemon flavor.
2. Lemon balm
Lemon balm is said to have a calming effect, making it perfect for your evening cup of tea. The herb is also believed to help with upset stomachs and menstrual cramps. Making tea with lemon balm is very easy; simply let the leaves steep in hot water for a few minutes. The scent is delightfully lemony, and the tea pairs perfectly with scones.
You can grow lemon balm both indoors and outdoors.
3. Lemon verbena
Both the lemon-scented leaves and branches can be used in tea, food, and potpourri. In France, lemon verbena is especially common in tea, and it is said to help with nausea. This plant is actually a bush, but since it is sensitive to frost, it usually works better as a potted plant here in the north - then it can easily be brought indoors for overwintering in a cool, frost-free room.
4. Thyme
Thyme gives a mild tea that is said to help with cough. The plant contains thymol, which has antiseptic properties. Thyme is perennial and thrives in the sun, in dry soil rich in calcium. You can grow it both indoors and outdoors, and once it is well established, you can harvest from it again and again. Feel free to trim the plant in the spring to rejuvenate it.
5. Blackberry leaves
Picking leaves from a blackcurrant bush has a nice aroma and flavor, especially if you pick the leaves early in the season. Feel free to mix blackcurrant leaves with other types of tea plants, such as mint. Blackcurrants are a low-maintenance bush that thrives in most types of soil, as long as there is not too much clay or sand in it. The blackcurrant bush prefers warm weather and benefits from pruning every other year.
6. Lavender
You will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful tea than lavender tea, and the floral taste is very delicate. Lavender is considered to be calming, and it is said to help alleviate migraines. It is best to harvest the flowers when they are almost fully bloomed, as this is when they contain the most essential oil. Lavender thrives best in a sunny spot, in lean, sandy soil. It is not necessary to trim it down in the spring, but to avoid it becoming sparse at the bottom, you can still do so if you like.