Want to learn what are the health uses of linden flowers, linden flowers tea benefits how to use linden flowers as medicine, how to harvest linden flowers, and what linden flowers are good for? Continue reading and find out.
Linden flowers tea is one of the most powerful natural medicine there is, and one of the easiest to use. Tilia family trees are known as linden trees in continental Europe, basswood in North America, and lime tree in the UK and Ireland, but it’s the same tree family, just that they may be different varieties, acclimatized to the specific areas. We will further refer to them as linden and linden flowers.
The health uses of linden flowers are so numerous that you could write a book just about them, so I will try to be as brief yet comprehensive as possible in explaining to you the linden flowers tea benefits, and how to use linden flowers as medicine, from linden tree species, harvesting the linden flowers, how to make linden flowers tea and other preparations from the linden flowers and lastly, the numerous natural remedies that use linden flowers, as you will see. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
In This Article You Will Find:
What Linden Trees Are Good for Linden Flowers Tea?
There are five known linden tree species that are used for therapeutic purposes and you can use them to make linden flowers tea. These linden trees are:
- small-leaved linden (Tilia cordata)
- large-leaved linden (Tilia grandifolia/Tilia platyphyllos)
- silver linden (Tilia tomentosa)
- common linden (Tilia Europaea)
- American linden or American basswood (Tilia americana)
The first four linden species are native to much of Europe, the Caucasus, and parts of Asia, while the last is native to eastern North America and is referred to as basswood or linden. The therapeutical linden species bloom in stages. First is the large-leaved linden (late May to early June), followed by the small-leaved linden (June-July), and after about 10-14 days the sliver linden blooms. The American linden blooms from late April to mid-July, depending on the climate and weather conditions. The last one in bloom is the common linden (late summer), a hybrid between the first two.
How to Harvest Linden Flowers
Linden flowers are harvested together with the leaf at the base of the flower (bract), at the beginning of the blooming season, when among the flowers there are also flower buds, not yet in bloom. Dry the linden flowers and leaves in the shade in well-ventilated places, free of moisture by laying them in a one-finger thick layer. When fully dried, you can store them in linen or paper bags in cool places. This way you preserve their therapeutic properties.
Good to Know
- Harvest linden flowers only in good weather, ideally 1-2 days after the last rain.
- Avoid snapping the young shoots or branches, which leads to the mutilation of the tree.
- Preserve the dried linden flowers whole, until the moment you use them, crushing before use is not necessary when preparing the linden flowers infusion.
- From a kilogram of fresh linden flowers, you get a little more than a quarter of a kilogram of dried flowers.
How to Make Linden Flowers Tea
Making linden flowers tea is simple. Simply scald 2 teaspoons of dried linden flowers in a cup of boiling water, cover and steep for 30 minutes, and then strain. Optionally, you can sweeten the tea with raw linden flowers honey or drink it plain, as you prefer. Tip! Drinking hot linden flowers tea induces sweating and can be used in treating colds and viral infections of all kinds or alleviate symptoms of body intoxication.
Linden Flowers Tea Benefits
The linden flower tea benefits are numerous, as these beautifully-scented spring flowers are fortifying, immune-boosting, sedative, emollient, expectorant, decongestant, spasmolytic, hypotensive, and detoxifying as they induce sweating. The reason is that linden flowers are rich in essential oils, especially farnesol (which gives the characteristic scent), mucilages, saponins, flavonoids, gums, tannins, choline, and vitamin C. They also contain substances that stimulate tissue repair by helping the body to quickly replace diseased cells with new and healthy ones.
Linden flowers contain active principles that induce sleep, acting through a mechanism similar to that of the allopathic drug benzodiazepine, making them one of the best natural medicine for stress, restlessness, and insomnia. This makes linden flowers tea also a calming and diuretic tea, with great benefits against heart disorders as it lowers blood pressure naturally.
The linden flowers tea benefits are so numerous, that these flowers are a must-have panacea in every household, to support the good health of the entire family. To summarize, here are the most important linden flowers tea benefits for health:
- low immunity
- lung problems (bronchitis, cough, (cold, flu, catarrh, fever, inflammations)
- neurological disorders (headache, dystonia, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease)
- anxiety and stress
- insomnia and nightmares
- cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, heart neurosis, high blood pressure, palpitations and extrasystoles, coronary atherosclerosis, phlebitis, thrombosis, embolism)
- gastric disorders (cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia, indigestion, constipation, food poisoning, hemorrhoids, vomiting, baby colics, gastritis, stomach pains)
- ENT conditions (tonsillitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis)
- joint pains
- hepatitis
- menopause symptoms
- hunger pangs
- skincare (topical)
Other Medicinal Recipes with Linden Flowers
In addition to the healing linden flowers tea, there are other ways to use linden flowers as medicine, in recipes that you can make at home. These are linden flowers decoction, cold macerate, tincture, combined tea, and syrup. Linden flowers can also be used in gargles, calming baths, and steam inhalations, while linden flowers honey is a medicine on its own.
1. Linden Flowers Powder
Linden flower powder is obtained by grinding the dried linden flowers in an electric coffee grinder. The way to use it is to keep 1 tsp of powder under the tongue for 10 minutes and swallow it with water or tea. It is administered on an empty stomach, three to four times a day, depending on the needs.
- Uses: Linden flower powder is mainly used to treat digestive conditions, especially gastritis and gallbladder attacks.
2. Linden Flowers Cold Macerate
Add two or three teaspoons of linden flower powder to half a liter of water (2 cups), and leave to soak for at least eight hours or overnight. Strain and drink on an empty stomach, one cup before each meal. This cold maceration has much stronger and more nuanced effects than the linden flowers tea.
- Uses: Is preferred in the treatment of sleep disorders, hormonal imbalances, as well nervous system disorders.
3. Linden Flowers Combined Tea
The cold macerate can be mixed with the linden flowers tea, to make a combined tea. Soak 2-3 teaspoons of chopped linden flowers in half a cup of cold water, overnight. Strain and set aside. Scald the used flowers in another half cup of hot water, this time. Steep for 20 minutes, then leave to cool and strain. Combine the cold macerate and the hot infusion and drink 15 minutes before meals. The healing dose is 3 cups a day.
- Uses: This is a very powerful medicine for insomnia, nervousness, water retention, digestive disorders, gastritis, colics, and joint pain.
4. Linden Flowers Tincture Recipe
Soak 20 g of dried and coarsely chopped linden flowers in 100 ml of food alcohol or other homemade distilled spirit for 10 days and seal. Shake 3-4 times a day. Strain the tincture through a piece of gauze, then leave it to decant in the refrigerator for 6 days. Gently transfer the clear part to an amber bottle with a dropper, and leave out the residue deposited on the bottom of the bottle.
If you want to reduce the alcohol content, steam the tincture on a double boiler until the initial quantity drops to one-third. This helps evaporate most of the alcohol. The shelf life of linden flowers tincture is two years from the date of preparation. Shake before use. For children, the recommended dose is 20 drops in the evening, and for adults, 30 drops, twice a day. The treatment lasts for two or three weeks and, if necessary, resume after a 7-day break.
- Uses: Linden flowers tincture is a concentrated elixir with particularly strong therapeutic effects because it fluidizes the blood, speeds up the elimination of toxins, and helps white blood cells (type B lymphocytes) to produce antibodies.
5. Linden Flowers Syrup Recipe
Slightly heat up 1 liter of water in a pot, add 1 kg of linden flowers honey, and combine until the honey is fully dissolved. Then add a handful of dried linden flowers, another handful of elderflowers, and another one of meadowsweet flowers (Filipendula ulmaria). Cover and leave the flowers to infuse in the warm water with honey for 48h. Strain and pour into small amber bottles. The syrup can be drunk diluted with water, but can also be used as a herbal tea sweetener.
- Uses: It is used to reduce fever, and induce sweating due to its anti-inflammatory action, and can be used for treating colds and flu.
6. Linden Flowers Bath
Soak 2 handfuls of linden flowers in 3-5 liters of warm water overnight. Strain and set aside. Use the already soaked flowers in a liter of water for 10 minutes, and then strain. Pour both the infusions into the bathtub over hot water. Therapeutic baths with linden flowers are done in the evening because they have a fairly strong sedative effect, which is not likely to favor daily activities.
- Uses: sedative effect.
7. Linden Flower Poultice
Gradually mix two or three teaspoons of linden flower powder with a little bit of warm water so as to form a moist paste. Spread this paste to a piece of gauze and apply the poultice on the diseased area, and covered with cling wrap, to keep the moisture. Remove the poultice after one hour, and leave the skin to dry in the open air.
- Uses: Topically for tummy pain, and dark circles around the eyes (see below).
10 Linden Flowers Tea Remedies and How to Use
1. Lung Problems
(bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, cough, cold, and flu)
Linden flowers contain mucilages, which soothe the mucous membranes and reduce airway passage inflammation. It is a traditional remedy, used for productive cough and bronchitis. Put 2 teaspoons of linden flowers in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water and infuse for 30 minutes. Drink 2-3 warm teas a day.
2. Sleep Disorders
(insomnia, nightmare, restless sleep)
The tea made from these flowers induces peaceful sleep, with clear, beautiful, and vivid dreams. Folk tradition says about linden flowers that, especially for children and those with a pure soul, it calls for fairies and good spirits to watch over their sleep. Boil two tablespoons of linden flowers in half a liter of water for 5 minutes. Allow the decoction to cool and strain. Drink three cups of tea a day, the last one at night, an hour before bed.
Or, you can have a teaspoon of linden flower powder before bed. For a stronger effect, enjoy a linden flower bath every three to four days, for it has a strongly soothing effect. Weekly linden flower baths are amazing for children who have a hard time falling asleep or frequent nightmares. The ideal bathing time is 15-20 minutes at 35-37°C.
3. Cardiovascular Problems
(heart failure, high blood pressure, heart failure)
Linden flower tea helps lower high blood pressure and protect the heart. For best results have 3 cups of linden flowers tea a day, sweetened to taste with honey. In addition, you can have 30 drops of linden tincture, 2-3 times a day, to a cup of lesser periwinkle tea (Vinca minor). Gingko Biloba, hawthorn, and lesser periwinkle tincture enhance the therapeutic effect of linden preparations in cardiovascular diseases.
4. ENT Disorders
(tonsilitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, sore throat)
In this case, the linden flower tincture works best. The dose is 30 drops, 3 times a day, into a cup of warm mallow tea (Malva sylvestris). Make a more concentrated linden flowers infusion (5-10 grams of flowers per 200 ml of boiling water) and use it for steam inhalations. Or you can make gargles (several times a day), and in this case, increase the dose to 4 tablespoons of flowers per 200 ml of water. After straining, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the tea. Linden flower honey is also soothing for the throat.
5. Digestive Issues
(poor digestion, colics, stomach pain, gastritis, sluggish liver, gallbladder attacks)
A warm linden flower tea after a meal is useful in liver and gallbladder conditions and can aid digestion. The beneficial effects of linden tea are enhanced when mixed with chamomile and mint. To prepare this tea, add a tablespoon of linden flowers and a tablespoon of mint leaves or chamomile flowers to a cup of boiling water. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain the tea and drink it after every meal if you have frequent digestion problems, or after healthy meals.
Linden flower powder is also effective, as it reduces stress levels and mental tension but also protects and heals the gastric walls. Take a teaspoon of powder three to four times a day before meals. During periods of severe gastric pains, drink large amounts of unsweetened linden cold maceration and eat as little as possible. For greater efficiency, add an equal amount of chamomile flowers when making the cold macerate. For colics, apply a linden flower poultice on the stomach and a hot buoy on top. Three cups of combined tea of linden flowers can also help relieve colics.
6. Menopausal Disorders
(hot flashes, nervousness, hyperexcitability, heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, itchy skin, irritability, high blood pressure)
Consume cold linden flowers macerate instead of water daily until the symptoms are reduced. The active principles of linden flowers calm the psyche, reduce nervousness, and aid in hormonal balance, with mild anaphrodisiac effects. In addition, linden tincture is also helpful in this case – 50 drops of linden flower tincture in the morning, at noon, and in the evening for 8 weeks (150 drops in total/day).
7. Skin Problems
(acne, psoriasis, allergic eczema)
Especially when these problems occur or worsen under stress, the cold linden flower macerate is extremely effective. Long-term cures are recommended (at least one month), during which time you have a cup of cold macerate linden flower on an empty stomach, three times a day. These cures are especially recommended at the change of seasons and when stress and anxiety worsen, as linden flowers have an exceptional role in soul protection.
8. Anxiety
For anxiety, linden powder is very effective – 2 grams, three or four times a day, in a 6-week course, followed by a 2-week break. But you can also couple this remedy with linden flowers tea – 3 cups a day, sweetened to taste with honey, and linden flower tincture – 30 drops, 2-3 times a day, added to a cup of acacia flowers tea. This remedy is also effective for insomnia, headaches, restlessness, anxiety, worrying, nervousness,
9. Cold and Flu
Linden does not have proven antiviral effects, instead, it helps regulate body temperature, clear the airways of excess mucus, and reduce and eliminates muscle pains and headaches associated with cold and flu. In this instance, drinking 1 liter of combined linden infusion, sweetened with honey works amazing. Continue until complete healing. Linden flowers tincture is also recommended – 30 drops, 2-3 times a day, added to a cup of rosehip or marigold tea.
10. Baby Problems
Linden flowers tea is a great aid in mild baby issues, such as colic, agitation, colds, viruses, and insomnia. It is administered in smaller doses of 5, 10, or 15 ml, 3 times a day, depending on the age of the infant. Also, when starting diversification, which usually begins with introducing a simple biscuit, soaking it in linden tea is a great idea. Linden tea has a mild calming effect on the baby, while he’s enjoying his biscuit. Linden flowers bath (recipe above) is soothing for the little ones. Add a cup of the macerate to a baby’s tub of lukewarm water.
5 Ways to Use Linden Flowers Tea as Adjuvant
1. High Blood Pressure
The best way to use linden flowers as an adjuvant in high blood pressure is in powder form. The dose is one teaspoon four times a day, for 60 days, followed by a 15-day break. Linden has a vasodilating effect, due to its sedative action on the central nervous system and its detox properties help eliminate excess water from the body, thus lowering blood pressure.
2. Hepatitis B and C
A Japanese study led by Dr. H. Matsuda shows that the active ingredients in silver linden (Tilia tomentosa) have hepatoprotective effects. The protective effect over the liver cells, combined with the stabilizing and calming effect of linden, recommends this flower in the treatment of hepatitis with possible evolution towards cirrhosis (which is much accelerated by intense stress). The recommended dose is 2-3 cups of combined linden infusion per day, in a 4-week course, followed by a four-week break. Resume if needed.
3. Water Retention
Prepare a combined tea of linden but this time a little more concentrated (50 grams per liter of water). Have a tablespoon every few minutes, until you finish the entire tea quantity over the course of 1-2 days. The combined tea of linden amplifies diuresis and stimulates the elimination of excess fluid through perspiration. In addition, linden flower baths have a diuretic and calming effect and are useful as an adjunct against cystitis and nephritis.
4. Cancer Tumors
A recent Argentine study shows an antitumor action of heart-shaped linden flowers (Tilia cordata). The recommended dose is 2-3 cups of combined tea per day. It has the effect of inhibiting the multiplication of tumor cells and induces self-destruction (apoptosis). Its antitumoral effects are apparently due to a substance called scopoletin, contained in the flowers of this species of linden.
5. Tonsilitis
Dissolve a teaspoon of coarse salt in a cup of combined and concentrated linden infusion (4 teaspoons of flowers per cup) and mix. Gargle 3-4 times a day. This adjuvant treatment has a calming, anti-inflammatory, and rapid antiseptic effect.
4 Linden Flowers Tea Beauty Recipes
In natural cosmetics, linden flowers are used to reduce wrinkles, and dark circles around the eyes and to stimulate hair growth. Linden flowers infusion compresses are very useful for tired eyes and inflamed eyelids.
1. Dark Circles
For dark circles apply a poultice with linden flowers infusion on the eye area, for a quarter of an hour, in the morning and evening.
2. Wrinkles
For wrinkles and irritated skin, we recommend steam baths with linden flowers. Add two teaspoons of linden flowers to half a liter of boiling water in a pot. Lean over the steaming pot with a towel over the head to soak all the good steam for 10 minutes.
3. Hair Rinse
At a time when there were not so many hair care products, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers would put a handful of linden flowers in a liter of vinegar and macerate for two weeks. They would strain the vinegar, take 1 tablespoon of it and mix it in 2 liters of warm water, which they poured on their hair to rinse after washing. Hair grows richer if you rub the roots daily with linden flower tincture (recipe above).
4. Irritated Skin
Boil 2 teaspoons of linden flowers and 1 teaspoon of chamomile flowers in a cup of milk for a minute, then leave to cool. Strain and apply as a compress on the skin areas.
5. Glowing Skin
For radiant, glowing skin, apply a thin layer of linden honey to the cheeks and neck area. Leave the mask on for about 30 minutes, after which wipe it off with a cotton swab soaked in cow’s milk. This simple mask is also amazing for tightening large pores.
Linden Flowers Tea Side Effects
Linden flowers have no known side effects and can safely be used by people of all ages. We do recommend that you don’t use higher concentrations of linden flowers to be used internally than those specified in this article, otherwise one may suffer from insomnia. In normal doses, there are no studies to date to prove any form of linden toxicity, not even in nursing or pregnant women. On very rare occasions, linden flowers can lead to allergic reactions, especially to the skin.
The Magical Linden Tree
Centuries ago, people living along the Danube Valley used to plant a linden tree with each born son or daughter. Here, the linden tree bears the seal of a gift of the Divinity and is considered the holy tree of the Romanian people. It is no coincidence that in the crown of the linden tree, God never shoots arrows of lightning. It is known that the peasants of these lands, caught in the field by the heavy summer rains, run to take shelter under a lonely linden tree as their empirical observations had taught them that the magnetism of this tree, unlike the others, did not attract lightning, but repelled them.
Known for centuries as the tree that alleviates the suffering of the soul, linden is naturally on the list of plants that fight for balance and health. The argument is very simple: when the soul is sick, the body becomes ill. When we go through prolonged periods of anxiety and uncertainty, in other words, prolonged stress, our body gets weakened to the point of exhaustion and the body’s ability to cope with the disease is much diminished.
If we want to enjoy the protection and health that this magic tree offers us through its fragrant flowers, we must resort as often as possible to linden medicine for the body and soul. Linden tree clears our feelings, softens rebellious hearts, and pours love into the soul. Entrust your hopes to the linden tree, and it will stimulate your intuition, helping you to discern only those that are destined to come true. When it’s hot outside, lie on your back in the grass beneath a linden tree with your eyes lost in the mighty branches of the linden and your bare feet propped up by its trunk.
Read Also: Linden Tree, The Healer of Broken Hearts
At the same time a remedy and an occasion for enchantment, refuge, and source of inspiration, the linden tree has a gentle and enigmatic beneficent force, which cannot be explained or experienced only through the glacial study of botany or biochemical formulas. It can only be perceived through the awakened senses. If you’ve enjoyed learning about the linden flowers tea benefits and how to use these healing flowers at home, from harvest to actual use, please share this article so more people can use this information. Stay healthy and happy, naturally!
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