As soon as the lime blossoms open in June, they enchant us with their wonderful summer scent. But when and how could you harvest and dry linden blossoms? What can you use linden blossoms for?
Linden blossom tea has been considered a remedy and a miracle weapon for colds and coughs since ancient times. Linden trees are among the most popular city trees and enchant us with their super pleasant, refreshing scent from mid-June onwards. The small flowers can be used in many different ways and you can use them to make much more than just flower tea. But of course you should first know when and how to harvest and dry linden blossoms.
When can you harvest linden blossoms?
Although there are more than 45 species of linden trees worldwide, only two species are native to us - the winter linden tree (Tilia cordata) and the summer linden tree (Tilia platyphyllos). The Southeast European silver linden tree and the Dutch linden tree are also often planted as street trees in cities. The summer linden tree begins to bloom at the beginning of June and the winter linden tree a few weeks later - around the end of June/beginning of July. If you want to harvest lime blossoms, it is best to collect the flowers from trees in parks that are as far away from busy roads as possible.
Harvesting lime blossoms: How to do it right
Harvesting lime blossoms is actually a lot easier than you think. It is best to collect the yellowish white flowers together with the bract in the morning on a sunny, dry day. Alternatively, you could collect lime blossoms in the late afternoon between 4 and 6 p.m., when the sweet scent is most intense. And no - you don't need secateurs or anything similar - you can easily pick the flowers. Please note, however, that linden trees are very attractive to bees and it is therefore important to protect yourself from the small, busy beneficial insects and to be very careful.
Like herDry lovage, we have already explained to you. To ensure they retain their scent, you should always dry lime blossoms immediately after harvesting. Transport the small flowers home in an airy bag or large basket and let them dry outdoors in a dry place. However, you should avoid direct sunlight, otherwise all important nutrients will be lost. To dry lime blossoms, spread them out on a tray, drying screen or cloth and turn them 1-2 times a day - this will speed up the drying process a little. If the weather is humid and rainy, you can also dry the linden blossoms in the oven at around 50-60 degrees.
Store dried lime blossoms
You already know how to harvest and dry linden blossoms. Of course, so that all your efforts are not in vain, you should know how to properly store the dried flowers. If stored properly, you can safely store the small flowers for one to two years and they will stay fresh. Please note that lime blossoms are very sensitive to air and light - so you should always store them in an airtight container in a dark and cool place.
What do you use linden blossoms for?
The linden tree is not only an excellent medicinal plant that quickly provides relief for various health problems. The flowers can also be used in many different ways in the kitchen. For example, you could use lime blossom to spice up your summer salads, smoothies or soups. In addition, the small flowers are very rich in protein and have a high calcium and potassium content. Here are a few ideas for what you could use dried lime blossoms for.
- Linden blossom teais probably the most popular way to use dried lime blossoms. To do this, pour 300 ml of boiling water over around 2-3 teaspoons of lime blossoms and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes. Strain and voilà – it’s that easy to make your own lime blossom tea.
- Linden blossom oilgives our salads a wonderfully aromatic touch and is a great addition to our kitchen. To do this, chop up about 40 grams of dried lime blossoms and pour olive oil or another oil of your choice over them. Let it steep in a dark, cool place for about 2 weeks and then strain the oil through a fine sieve and pour it into a bottle.
- Facial toner– You can now buy lime blossom water in any pharmacy and you can use it either as cleansing water or as an eye compress. To do this, pour 300 ml of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of dried lime blossoms and let the mixture steep, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Then sieve through a fine sieve and pour the mixture into a suitable bottle.
- Bath additive with linden blossomsIt's super relaxing and easy to do yourself. To do this, pour about 5 liters of boiling water over around 350 grams of lime blossoms and let them steep in a dark place for 20-30 minutes. Strain the mixture and add it to the bath water as a bath additive.
