How to Harvest and Make Black Tea From Common Weeds, Oxidized and Caffeine Free, Bonus: Herbal Tea

Hello, my name is Mimikry and I'm an addict... It's not drugs, it's not alcohol, it's not cigarettes nor gambling - it's tea!

Luckily my grandmother showed me how to harvest, oxidize and dry common wild herbs and flowers and I will share my knowledge with you in this instructable, so that you can go and harvest on your own!

I will show you the process of making a substitute black tea - free from caffeine - by oxidizing leaves of the common "fireweed" (aka rosebay willowherb ) So make homemade black tea! - isn't that great?

also I will introduce you to other easy to find herbs and flowers for delicious DIY herbal infusions.

Harvesting wild grown plants is a fun activity outdoors and doesn't need any special equipment to get started.

By the process of oxidation you change the character of the herbs - just as it is done with tea leaves: green tea is only dried leaves, while black tea is oxidized leaves.

The DIY black tea, makes also a nice homemade gift for tealovers.

Yes, I'm aware that the term tea is used for products from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis ) but I chose to use it anyway for this instructable even though it's technically an "infusion".

All you need to get started is:

• scissors
• something to harvest in, for example mesh washing bags, paper bags or a basket
• an oven to dry ( in warm weather it works fine to sundry the leaves )

for oxidation:

• a rolling pin (a straight glass bottle works as well )
• clean kitchen towels ( they will get stained forever so use old ones) boil for 10min before use
• airtight plastic bags or containers
• a waterfilled spraybottle or a small bowl with water

First of all you need to know your target plant:

Fireweed aka rosebay willowherb or latin "Chamaenerion angustifolium"

for a very good description check out wikipedia: fireweed

using the leaves of fireweed as black tea substitute has a long tradition and you will understand why: after the oxidizing process you will get a rich and flavoury cup of tea with a flowery scent.

also harvest the bright pink flowers later in summer, dry them and add to your black tea - so beautiful and tasty!

IMPORTANT: If you are not sure that you can securely identify the herb, don't harvest! there are many other common plants that you can use to learn the fermentation process: for example raspberry leaves or black currant leaves,

after gathering the leaves you have two possibilities:

you can dry them right away and get a "green tea" with a grassy flavour or you go a step longer and oxidize the leaves

to make "black tea" and get a rich and flavoury cup of tea with a flowery scent.

step one, wilting:

let the harvested leaves wilt for a few hours in a shadowy place until you can bend the leaves in half and they won't snap.

step two, crushing:

spray a very little amount of water on the wilted leaves, then use a rolling pin to bruise the leaves structure by rolling back and forth with good pressure. This step enables the aerobic fermentation.

step three, storing:

spray the kitchen towel ( best is if you boil the towel in clear water before for 10 minutes before use ) so that it is damp, place a sausage like heap from the crushed leaves on the towel and roll it hard and tightly. place the towel with the leaves in an airtight container or a freezer bag.

step four, patience:

store the leaves in room temperature, it will take 24 hours to 5 days for the magic to happen. The leaves will oxidise, get darker in colour and change their scent from grassy to a floral fragrance.

IMPORTANT: if there is any mold, the leaves got infected and are unfortunately useless - correctly oxidized leaves will smell floral and fruity, if it smells musty and stale it turned bad.

step five, drying:

spread the oxidized leaves thinly on a baking tray and dry in the oven at 70°C ( 158°F ) for about 30 mins or until thoroughly dry. Store in tight containers such as glassjars.

Even though oxidizing is a quite easy process there are some things that can go wrong, that should not discourage you - try it with smaller amounts in the beginning, until you are familiar with the process

having trouble to find fireweed ? or want to try other plants to make your own black tea, here are more easy to find plants:

common name ( latin name ) parts to harvest

• black currant (Ribes nigrum) - leaves
• raspberry (Rubus) - leaves
• wild strawberry ( Fragaria vesca ) -leaves
• stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) -leaves

IMPORTANT: If you are not sure that you can securely identify the herb, don't harvest!

here are more easy to find herbs and flowers you can dry directly after harvesting to get a delicious herbal infusion - make different blends until you have the one that suits your taste :)

TIP: flowers of clover or dandelion will give a sweet note to the tea or add a little honey to the brewed tea to lift the aromas.

common name ( latin name ) parts to harvest

• red clover ( Trifolium pratense) - flower
• white clover (Trifolium repens) - flower
• yarrow (achillea millefolium) - flower
• meadowsweet (filipendula ulmaria) - flower (note: should not be overconsumed due it contains Salicylic acid)
• lady's mantle (alchemilla vulgaris) - flower and leaves
• dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - flower
• fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) - flower and leaves
• stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) -leaves

IMPORTANT: If you are not sure that you can securely identify the herb, don't harvest!

Even though oxidizing is a quite easy process there are some things that can go wrong, that should not discourage you - try it with smaller amounts in the beginning, until you are familiar with the process.

the oxidized leaves won't turn dark brown: mostly a temperature issue, the leaves can be used and dried anyway, you just didn't get the floral taste - you will have more grassy notes.

my oxidized leaves smell musty or stale: if it smells musty and stale it turned bad - correctly oxidized leaves will smell floral and fruity,.

the leaves look quite hairy: the leaves got infected from mold and are unfortunately useless ( if it's raspberry leaves it's different: the leaves have small hairs on the downside, then sniff on the oxidized product, if it gots the characteristic floral and fruity scent everything is alright!)

Leaves are usually harvested in spring when they are young and have the most nutritional value - but if you are ok with only taste, you can harvest fresh leaves all summer ( best time is before bloom)

Flowers are harvested when fully opened

wait for a dry day to harvest leaves or flowers - it's no good to harvest wet or moist plantparts, they won't dry properly or worse: start to mold when airdried.

use different bags / vessels for different herbs, that makes it easier to come up with the perfect blend

use scissors that way you won't damage the plant more than neccessary and won't bruise the harvested parts

only fresh and healthy parts don't harvest any damaged or brown parts, flowers only in full bloom

know your plants never harvest plants that you don't know or are not sure about, take your time to study when learning new species.

airdry on a warm day just ventilate the plantparts by shaking the mesh bag once in a while

store dried parts in tight containers - glassjars or teacans work perfectly

For a nice cup (250ml / 8,5oz) of your own harvested and oxidized tea

use about 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried tea

add 250ml / 8,5 oz boiling water

allow the tea too steep for about 10 minutes

sieve and enjoy!

mmmmmhhhhhhhhhh!