When to collect linden for tea - preparing raw materials for a delicious medicine

Tell me when to pick linden for tea? As a child, my grandmother always gave it to us in the winter so that a cold would go away faster. And I like to drink this tea even just like that, adding a little rose hips. I have a huge bush growing in my dacha, and this year my own sticky has bloomed for the first time. I used to buy raw materials for tea, but now I will provide myself with delicious medicine.

Fragrant linden tea is an excellent means of warming up on winter evenings, and it is also a medicinal one. In order for this drink to really turn out to be as useful as possible, it is worth knowing when to pick linden for tea and how to prepare it.

Medicinal properties of linden tea

Linden bark also has healing power, but inflorescences are used for tea. They contain a whole range of useful substances, including essential oils, phytoncides and antioxidants that we need so much. The boiled linden flowers are also very tasty. The tea turns out to be slightly sweet, with a light honey taste and a pleasant floral-sweet aroma. The medicinal effect of such a drink is that it:

• enhances immunity;
• promotes the discharge of sputum with bronchitis;
• relieves puffiness with rhinitis and makes breathing easier;
• will help with head and joint pain.

When to pick linden for tea

Since tea is brewed from flowers, it goes without saying that they must be picked during flowering. But in terms of time, it can be a somewhat extended period. It all depends on the region where the tree is grown and the variety. The early varieties will give fragrant flowers two weeks earlier than the late lindens.

On average, the harvest of linden inflorescences occurs in mid-June - late July. You can start 2-3 days after the beginning of flowering, when most of the buds open.

It is convenient to pick flowers with your hands, they easily come off if you grab the entire "bunch" together with the bracts. It is better to dry the raw materials indoors, spreading them out on the newspaper. Within 4-5 days, the flowers will become brittle and lose their heady smell. They need to be stored in glass jars, but not under the lid, but by tying the neck with a cloth. Linen bags are also suitable, the main thing is that the linden "breathes". The maximum shelf life is 2 years. But if possible, it is advisable to refresh stocks of medicinal raw materials annually.

How to brew tea correctly

The preparation process is simple: you need to pour 1 tbsp into a porcelain teapot for brewing tea. l. flowers and pour a glass of boiling water. Then cover and wrap with a towel. It will be even easier if you use a small thermos. After 20 minutes, the sun-colored healing tea is ready. If you put a little more flowers, the tea will become richer, darker and more reddish. You can also add various herbs (chamomile, mint) or rose hip.

Collecting linden blossom - video