Foraging for Food - Part Four, A Cup of Tea

See Also

Foraging for Food - Part One, An Introduction to Foraging

Foraging for Food - Part Two, More Foraging Tips and Techniques

Foraging for Food - Part Three, An Introduction to Medicinal Plants

Tea drinkers in cities and even in the countryside frequently buy expensive teas in grocery stores or fancy tea shops.

So much so it is like they are collecting it. For what? Bragging rights? Ego? Because they like having a variety of options for what to drink?

Whatever the reasons, it is truly unnecessary. They could simply be foraging the plants they need and making their own tea.

And you could be doing this too. Once you learn how to forage for your tea ingredients you will realize the benefits of foraging and making your own tea.

So in Ontario what are some good plants that are handy for making tea?

#1. Wild Mint for Mint Tea

Harvest: Spring to fall.
Location: Low-lying areas, near marshes or swamps, near beaver dam.
#2. Common Dandelion for Dandelion Tea

Harvest: May to August (flowers become more bitter later in the season).
Location: Disturbed areas, roadsides, lawns and gardens, meadows; Be cautious of foraging around urban landscapes where pesticide may have been sprayed.
#3. Wild Strawberries for Strawberry Tea

Harvest: Late spring to early summer.
Location: Trails, roadsides, meadows, forest edges, clearings.

#4. Chamomile Daisies for Chamomile Tea

Harvest: Early to late summer.
Location: Meadows, roadsides, forest edges, clearings.

#5. The fruit of Wild Roses for Rosehip Tea

Harvest: Late summer through autumn.
Location: Honestly, it would be easier to just grow "wild roses" in your garden... but it is possible to find wild roses, they are just very rare.

Or failing that, find a friend who has roses in their garden and ask if you can harvest the rosehips.

Rosehips on Wild Rose Bush