From the garden
Last week’s column highlighted the garden herbs peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm, and fennel. Teas made from herbs in today’s column are more unusual since they are drought tolerant plants often grown in xeric, low water-use, gardens.
Echinacea ( Echinacea purpurea). Echinacea was highlighted in the April 2 From the Garden column as a flowering plant recommended for perennial gardens. Echinacea attracts pollinators, grows and flowers best when planted in full light and produces abundant, long-lasting flowers if not crowded. All parts of the plant are edible and can be used for making tea but leaves and flowers make the best tea. The tough part for the gardener is deciding the destination after harvesting the showy blooms: into a vase or dry and crush for a cup of tea? It is the leaves that are reported to support the immune system, to remediate cold or flu while the petals add a pretty flare to the cup of tea. Echinacea is common in Vitamin C supplements. To dry, cut the entire length of flower stalks and hang upside down in groups of three. When fully dry separate flower heads from leaves, remove petals.
Yarrow ( Achillea millefolium). As a drought- and pest-resistant ornamental, yarrow is standard in many xeric gardens. The showy flower is comprised of many tiny, tightly-packed florets that rises above ferny, greyish foliage. The broad, flat flower head makes an easy landing pad for pollinators. As an ornamental, it makes an excellent cut flower. As an aromatic herb, it has medicinal properties, such as reducing bleeding, antiinflammatory properties alleviating arthritic pain, lowering blood pressure, and treating colds. Harvest stems with several leaves when flowers are at peak bloom. Dry as for Echinacea. Infusions are often blended with other herbs as yarrow is slightly bitter.
Lavender ( Lavandula x intermedia). Lavender can be challenging to grow but flourishes in full sun in excellent draining soil, the rockier the better. Egyptians used lavender for mummification and as a perfume; Romans used dried lavender stems as air fresheners and used the essential oil for culinary purposes; Greeks used lavender for insomnia and back aches (tumalolavender.com). The lavender variety ‘Grosso’ has high essential oils that flavor tea. Harvest and dry as for Echinacea.
Disclaimer: Herbs are not substitutes for professional care; thoughtfully consider allergies and introduce into diets with caution.
Some information from TeaTime Magazine; webmd. com; medicalnewstoday.com Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
