Have you ever tried primrose tea? Made from the dried flowers and leaves of the primrose plant, this tea is believed to have a range of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 

Primrose tea has a delicate, floral flavour - making it very suitable for all kinds of warm and iced teas. 

Primrose flower tea can be difficult to find, so in this post, I'll show you how to make primrose tea from scratch.

What is Evening primrose?

Primrose is an annual or biennial herb, it blooms from spring to late summer. The flowers and leaves of the Evening Primrose can be used to make herbal tea.

The flower originates from North America, where the native population has consumed evening primrose tea for centuries.

Evening primrose is easy to harvest, dry, and store for later use.

How does primrose tea taste like?

Primrose tea does not have a very strong taste. The flowers of the primrose plant have a sweeter flavour, while its leaves taste more fresh. 

Depending on your personal taste, you can make your tea from flowers only, leaves only, or a combination of the two.

Primrose tea benefits

The health benefits of primrose tea include relieving PMS symptoms, improving skin health, and minimising the side effects of tretinoin, to name a few.

For more details, check out this article about the benefits of primrose tea. There you can find more detailed explanations supported by scientific studies.

Primrose tea side effects 

Evening primrose tea is generally considered safe, but there are some potential side effects to be aware of including:

• Nausea

• Diarrhoea

• Headache

• May also interact with some medications

• Allergic reactions

Evening primrose is not recommended for pregnant women!
It is important to always talk to your healthcare provider before consuming evening primrose tea.

How to make primrose tea?

Here is how you make primrose tea step by step:

Step1: Harvest the flowers and leaves.

You may have evening primrose in your garden, or you may know someone who has this plant - either way first you make sure the plants have not been treated with pesticides.

Then you just go and pick some flowers and leafs. After that rinse the flowers from any dirt or bugs and drain in a colander.

Step 2: Dry the evening primrose flowers and leaves

The leaves can be quickly dried with a dehydrator.

To dry evening primrose in the dehydrator, place the leaves on the racks of the dehydrator. Make sure they have enough space around them to dry properly. But you don’t have to be too precise with this because they will shrink as they dry.

Dry the leaves at around 125°F (or 50-60°C) in the dehydrator. This takes approximately one hour, but could take longer. Make sure you dehydrate them until the leaves are completely dry and brittle to the touch.

Step 3: Store the dried leaves until ready to make tea

Store the dried leaves in an airtight container, in a cool and dark place for up to a year.

Don't forget to label the date of storage on the container.

Step 4: Prepare you evening primrose tea

Primrose tea is very simple to make:

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of dried primrose flowers and leaves

• 1 cup of hot water

• honey (optional)

Directions

1. Add the flowers to a tea ball and place in a cup or teapot. 

2. Boil the water, and pour over the flowers. 

3. Allow the tea to steep for approximately 5-10 minutes.

4. Remove the tea ball, or strain the tea.

5. Add honey to taste and enjoy.

Tips for making Primrose tea

• If making iced tea, make sure you make the tea stronger - double the amount of flowers. After the tea is brewed, let it cool and add some ice to it.

• You can sweeten the tea with honey, sugar, or any other sweetener you like.

• Feel free to combine primrose tea with other herbs or teas to add more flavour.