Herb
Elderflower
The fragrant cream-colored blossom of the elder, brewed as tea, traditionally used for colds, fevers, and clearing the sinuses.
📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 82/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
Elderflower is the fragrant blossom of the elder tree, traditionally picked in late spring and dried for tea. It has a soft, honeyed scent and pairs naturally with other cold-season herbs.
✨ Why it's good for you
- May help support the body during a cold
- May help ease a stuffy, congested feeling
- May help support a comfortable body temperature during a fever
- May help provide a gentle, warming cup during cold season
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 cup brewed tea (240ml) · about 2 calories
- Flavonoids (quercetin, rutin)
- Volatile oils
- Negligible macronutrients
Source: Nutrition estimate (per typical serving)
🥄 How to use it
Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried elderflowers in hot water for 10 minutes and sip warm at the start of a cold; it pairs classically with peppermint and yarrow.
How much: As teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea →, 1–2 teaspoons dried flowers per cup, at the onset of a cold.
Show full details & how to prepare it
Elderflowers — the lacy, fragrant blossoms of the same plant that gives us elderberries — make a gentle, honeyed teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → long used at the first sign of a cold. It encourages a mild, warming sweat that helps break a fever and clears a stuffy head, and is classically blended with peppermint and yarrow.
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- The flowers and ripe cooked berries are used; avoid the raw berries, leaves, bark, and roots, which can upset the stomach.
- Gentle as a tea; avoid large medicinal doses in pregnancy.
- A rare allergy is possible.
📚 What others say
- A traditional cold-and-fever blossom tea
- Long paired with peppermint and yarrow for colds
Learn more
🕊️ A word of encouragement
A fragrant blossom that comforts the feverish. Even small flowers carry seasoned wisdom.
💬 Ask Remy about Elderflower
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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