All About Lavender Tea

Even if you’ve never had lavender tea before, chances are you’ve seen or smelled this vibrant purple plant. The flowers of the lavender plant have been one of the primary fragrances in cosmetics and perfumes for over 2,500 years. This flower is also used extensively in food and beverages, such as tea.

Lavender tea is an herbal tea made from the dried flowers of the lavender plant. Lavender is related to rosemary and mint and is valued for its soothing fragrance and medicinal properties. Lavender has many health benefits when brewed in tea or included in other consumables.

Lavender tea is a delicious addition to your rotation of herbal teas, and learning how to make it is a snap. Keep reading to learn more about the history of lavender tea and how to make it at home.

What Is Lavender Tea?

Lavender tea is an herbal tea made from dried flowers, a steeped beverage known as an infusion or tisane. Lavender can be used medicinally and it can also be mixed into other tea blends to add its distinct flavor and aroma to the resulting tea liquor.

Unlike herbal teas where the tea is brewed from the roots or leaves of the plant, lavender tea is brewed from the dried flower blooms.

Where Does Lavender Grow?

Traditionally, the lavender grown for cosmetics and food products is grown in the southern regions of France. This is especially true of the Provence region, where lavender is a major agricultural export.

Lavender thrives in an arid region with relatively little rain. Other than France, other areas where lavender grows well include Mediterranean and southern California regions.

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Growing Lavender for Tea

Most of the lavender mass-produced for tea blends come from large lavender farms, but if you want to make your own lavender tea, you can grow lavender right in your own backyard herbal tea garden.

Lavender does best in areas with well-drained soil and full sun.

Unlike other herbs grown for medicinal tea, lavender doesn’t tend to do well indoors because it can’t get enough light to bloom. In areas with good soil and lots of sun, lavender can be grown either in containers or as a hedge border.

Lavender flowers can be harvested for tea in mid-summer, from June through July.

What Does Lavender Tea Taste Like?

Lavender tea has a distinctive floral flavor with some hints of rosemary and mint, two aromatic herbs related to it. The aftertaste of lavender is slightly bitter, leading some lavender tea drinkers to mellow the drink’s flavor with sweeteners such as raw honey.

If you think the taste of pure lavender tea may be too much for you, try brewing up a steaming mug of my London Fog Tea Latte, which has just a hint of lavender mixed with black tea.

Health Benefits of Lavender Tea

While many people enjoy drinking lavender tea for its pleasant aroma and floral flavor, lavender tea is also appreciated for its many health benefits. Lavender is full of polyphenols and other botanical chemicals that can help reduce disease and improve your well-being.

Here are just a few of the health benefits associated with drinking lavender tea:

Improved mood: Lavender can alleviate mild anxiety and depression. For people who suffer from mild mood disorders, taking lavender tea daily can increase their mental resilience and put them in a better headspace.
Sleep aid: Along with relaxing the mind, lavender can also help relax your body. Lavender induces drowsiness and is a good option for an evening tea to help create physical relaxation.
Muscle cramp relief: Lavender possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to relieve mild aches and pains. It is also useful for helping to alleviate the abdominal cramps associated with menstruation.

Better complexion: Lavender is commonly included in cosmetics because its antimicrobial properties make it useful in cleansers and detoxifying formulas. It can be used to treat inflammatory skin disorders such as acne and dry skin.

Lavender can improve your health in several different ways, and it’s safe to drink for most people unless they’re allergic to it. Even if you don’t drink lavender tea on its own, adding dried lavender to other tea blends can help you access its nutritional advantages.

How to Brew Lavender Tea

Lavender tea can be brewed either from commercially-produced tea bags, readily available lavender blossoms, or from lavender grown in your own yard. Lavender can be brewed either right off the plant or after the flower blossoms have been dried.

If you choose to purchase dried lavender, make sure it’s marked culinary grade so you know it’s safe to ingest.

If you want to grow your own lavender, make sure your plants are not exposed to inorganic fertilizers and insecticides. Otherwise, these chemicals could contaminate your tea.

To make a mug of lavender tea, follow this easy recipe:

Heat the water. To make a cup of lavender tea, bring eight ounces of filtered water to a boil in a small saucepan or tea kettle.
Add the lavender. Add two tablespoons of dried lavender blossoms to the boiling water, remove from heat, and allow it to steep for eight to ten minutes. The longer the lavender blossoms are left in the water, the stronger the tea will become. You can use either lavender tea bags or loose lavender flowers in a tea infuser.
Remove the lavender and serve. Discard the used lavender blooms and serve the tea into cups or mugs. Lavender tea can be served either hot or cold. Optionally, you can add lemon and honey to lavender tea to mellow its bitter aftertaste.

If you want to serve lavender tea cold, make 4-6 cups of lavender tea, pour them into a pitcher, and chill it in the refrigerator. Lavender can be mixed with butterfly pea flowers and lemon juice to give the tea a beautiful purple color.

Lavender Is a Soothing Tea for Bedtime

Lavender tea is one of the best herbal teas you can take if you are dealing with stress or the minor aches and pains associated with a long day of work. Brew up this aromatic drink before bed and feel the stress of your day melt away.