I love blending simple, calming teas, and rose tea one of my favorites. It’s perfect for when I need to unwind and relax.
Rose flowers add a nice floral flavor while helping with relaxation, and easing stress – especially emotional distress. They are loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C, so they’re also great for supporting immune health.
Blackberry leaves have a mild earthy flavor and are quite astringent. Because of their astringency, they are often used for leaky-gut syndrome and intestinal inflammation. They are also rich in minerals and antioxidants.
Oat straw and oat tops are rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium which help support the nervous system and reduce anxiety. They also balance out the astringent nature of the rose and blackberry leaves. I add them to most of my tea blends because of their moisturizing and demulcent properties.
There’s nothing quite like a cup of tea made from homegrown herbs. Not only does everything taste better, but these herbs are also easy to grow and harvest right from your backyard or container garden. I grow all of these plants in my zone 5b garden.
Grow Your Rose Tea Ingredients
Roses (Rosa spp.)
Two of my favorite rose varieties are Rosa rugosa or Rosa rubiginosa. Plant them in a sunny spot with well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Roses prefer a slightly acidic soil, so I give them fertilizer specific for acid-loving plants in the spring and summer. Space the bushes about 3 feet apart to allow good airflow and reduce the risk of disease.
Water the rose bushes deeply and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Prune the bushes in early spring to remove dead or weak stems and encourage new growth. Harvest the petals when the blooms are fully open and fragrant. I use the flowers for teas, oils, salves, infused honey, and beverages.
Blackberry (Rubus spp.)
Blackberries are hardy and grow well in zones 4-9. They need a lot of space to spread out – around 5 feet. They love fertile, slightly acidic soil, so I topdress with compost in the spring and add fertilizer for acid-loving plants. The bushes leaf out in spring, and by early summer, the canes are covered with white flowers that turn into berries.
I harvest the leaves for tea all throughout the spring and summer, taking only a few at a time so the bushes don’t get too stressed.
Oats (Avena sativa)
Oats are really easy to grow, and they do well in zones 2-8. They like cooler weather, so I directly sow them in March or April. They usually sprout within a week or two and flower in early June. By late June, I can harvest the milky oats for tinctures and oat straw for teas. The remaining oat seeds mature by late July to early August, depending on the weather. I save the mature oat seeds for next season’s crop and use the surplus for oat milk and oat bread.
Oats are a great cover crop for summer veggies like tomatoes and peppers. I crimp or cut down the oats about 2 weeks before I transplant the summer crops, which is around mid-May. Using oats as a cover crop in this way helps build soil health and suppresses weeds in my garden beds.
Overview of Rose Tea with Blackberry Leaf and Oat Tops
Making this nourishing rose tea is easy, and you can use fresh or dried herbs. The recipe is for one single serving.
Equipment Needed
- Small pan with a lid
- Fine mesh strainer
- Your favorite mug or tea cup
Ingredients
- Water (8 ounces)
- Rose flowers (½ teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh)
- Blackberry leaves (½ teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh)
- Oat straw + tops (½ teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh)
Instructions Summary
- Infuse: In a small pan, bring the water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add in the herbs and cover the pan with a lid. Let the herbs steep in the pan for 10 minutes. For fresh herbs, chop them up a bit and lightly crush them to release the oils.
- Strain: After steeping for 10 minutes, strain the water into your favorite mug or tea cup.
- Serve: Drink the tea as is, or add milk and honey to taste.
Other recipes with these herbs:
Rose Tea with Blackberry Leaves and Oat Straw
Equipment
- Small pan with a lid
- Fine mesh strainer
- Your favorite mug or tea cup
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Water
- ½ teaspoon Rose flowers or 1 teaspoon fresh
- ½ teaspoon Blackberry leaves or 1 teaspoon fresh
- ½ teaspoon Oat straw + tops or 1 teaspoon fresh
Instructions
- In a small pan, bring the water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Add in the herbs and cover the pan with a lid. Let them steep in the pan for 10 minutes. For fresh herbs, chop them up a bit to release the oils.
- After steeping for 10 minutes, strain the water into your favorite mug or tea cup. Compost the herbs.
- Drink the rose tea as is, or add milk and honey to taste.
Disclaimer: Many herbal teas are considered to be generally safe, although there are circumstances when you should not take a particular herb. I am providing a brief and general overview of these herbs for educational purposes only.
