What Kind of Plants Should I Grow to Make Tea?

Mints

• Plant some mint varieties for tea in your garden. Mints are hearty plants that require little care. They grow so well, in fact, that they can be invasive. To keep them compact, consider planting them in containers. Have them next to the kitchen door or on the windowsill for convenience. Mint varieties come in many different flavors. You're probably aware of peppermint and spearmint, but the Mentha family comes in so many varieties, you are sure to find a flavor that suits your taste. Look for lemon mint, orange mint, pineapple mint, apple mint and even chocolate mint.

Chamomile

• Chamomile is a calming tea with a mild, pleasant flavor. It has a hint of apple scent and flavor. This pretty plant with tiny daisy-like blossoms, and the flowers are the part that makes the best tea. Plant a hearty crop of this perennial. It is so mild it requires a lot of those little flowers to make a full cup of tea,but it's worth it. Look for true chamomile -- Chamaemelum nobile -- as opposed to similar plants that are also called by the same common name. Other plants labeled chamomile may make a serviceable tea, but will pale in comparison. One caveat for people with allergies -- chamomile is a cousin to the ragweed and can cause allergic reactions to people with hay fever.

Lemon Verbena

• If you love teas with a natural lemony flavor, you won’t even have to add a squirt of citrus if you go with lemon verbena, or Aloysia triphylla. Of all the lemony herbs, it is the most pungent and fragrant like true citrus. Unlike lemon balm, another well-known lemon herb, lemon verbena stands up better to heat. Hot water won’t destroy the flavor. It’s a deciduous shrub that is best grown in pots in all but the warmest zones. Bring it in for the winter, it won't survive a frost.

Rose

• Roses are not just ornamental plants. Roses are actually an herb, and make interesting flavored teas. As a bonus, they are packed with more vitamin C than any other herb. Rose tea can be made with petals only, or combined with other herbs for mixed infusions. Use rose petals for a mild, aromatic tea. For something a little zestier, steep the rose hips, or haws, which are the berry-like fruits of roses. If you plan on using roses for tea, you should grow them organically. Do not use commercial rose pesticides or chemical fertilizers on them, because they’re made for ornamental roses only and are not safe for consumption.