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.
📜 Where it comes from
Elderflower has a long history in European folk medicine, where it was traditionally brewed as tea for colds, fevers, and sinus congestion, often paired with peppermint and yarrow in old European remedies. The elder tree itself held a special place in European folklore as a protective plant grown near homes.
✨ 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.
Why it works: Elderflower teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → is traditionally drunk warm to encourage a light sweat, which herbalists describe as helping the body work through a fever, while its aromatic compounds are thought to loosen mucus and calm irritated sinuses.
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.
📚 Learn more
🌿 Deeper natural detail
🩺 The conventional view
💬 Ask Remy about Elderflower
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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