What is the effect of lime blossom tea?
Lime blossoms come from either the summer or winter lime tree (Tilia cordata and T. platyphyllos). They have been used for centuries as lime blossom tea for feverish colds, coughs caused by colds and inflammation of the mucous membranes (catarrh) of the upper respiratory tract.
Among other things, they contain essential oils, mucilage and tannins. It also contains antioxidants such as quercetin and kaempferol. Together, these ingredients have an antispasmodic, diaphoretic, calming, expectorant and soothing effect.
Lime blossom is also classified as a traditional herbal medicine for cold symptoms and mild stress complaints. In principle, however, there is only limited scientific evidence of their effect.
In folk medicine, other illnesses and complaints are treated with lime blossom, such as bladder and kidney problems. Linden blossom tea is also said to be helpful against inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and gout.
Lime blossom also appears to have a calming effect on the skin. Some lotions for itchy skin contain the juice and flower of the medicinal plant. It is also processed into powder and applied to burns and sores.
What side effects can lime blossom cause?
How are lime blossoms used?
There are various ways to use lime blossom.
Lime blossom as a household remedy
The dried inflorescences of the linden tree help to treat colds or catarrhs. As it is important to drink plenty of fluids during a cold, lime blossom tea is particularly suitable for alleviating symptoms. This is especially true if you also have a fever. The effect of lime blossom tea can be seen in increased sweating, which helps a cold to heal more quickly.
How to prepare lime blossom tea:
To make a cup of tea, pour a teaspoon (approx. 1.8 grams) of lime blossom over a cup (approx. 150 milliliters) of boiling water, cover and leave the infusion to infuse for seven minutes, then strain the plant parts.
- nine to 12 months: 0.2 to 1 gram
- one to three years: 1 to 2 grams
If you want to take advantage of the soothing effect of the mucilage in lime blossom (e.g. for a dry irritating cough), you can prepare a cold extract: Pour a teaspoon of lime blossom over a cup of cold water and leave to infuse, covered, for half an hour. Then heat briefly until boiling and drink in sips. You can take a cup of this tea two to three times a day.
For even better effects, you should combine lime blossom with other medicinal plants when preparing the tea. Aniseed, mallow, thyme and elderberry, for example, are also effective against colds.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limits. If your symptoms persist over a longer period of time and do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Ready-made preparations with lime blossom
Pharmacies and drugstores offer pure lime blossom tea, tea blends with other medicinal plants and ready-made preparations based on lime blossom – the latter also often in combination with other medicinal plants. These include cough syrup and lozenges, for example.
Your doctor, pharmacist or the package leaflet will tell you how to use and dose the preparations correctly.
What you should bear in mind when using linden blossom
- Do not use lime blossom preparations for intestinal obstruction.
- When preparing lime blossom tea, it is important not to use old blossoms, as this can lead to symptoms of poisoning.
If possible, make sure that you do not use lime blossoms of the silver lime (Tilia tomentosa) – these often appear on the market as adulterations in lime blossom preparations, but only contain medicinally insignificant ingredients. Ready-made preparations based on lime blossom and the lime blossom tea itself should only contain summer and/or winter lime as the original plant.
How to obtain lime blossom products
What are linden blossoms?
The winter lime tree (Tilia cordata) and the summer lime tree (T. platyphyllos) are trees up to 40 meters tall that are widespread in Central Europe and are often planted in gardens and parks as well as along roads.
A common feature of both species are the panicle-like inflorescences: they consist of two to five (summer lime) or 4 to 15 yellow-white, nectar-rich flowers with numerous stamens. The summer lime tree flowers in June, the winter lime tree in July. Small nuts develop from the flowers.
The most important difference between the two species of lime tree concerns the oblique heart-shaped leaves: in the summer lime tree they are larger and have white hairs on the underside in the axils of the leaf veins (axillary beards). The smaller leaves of the winter linden, on the other hand, have brown axillary beards on the underside.
The lime blossoms of both species are used medicinally.
