How to Make Echinacea Tea (And Grow It in Your Garden)

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Echinacea tea has been a go-to herbal remedy for generations. It's floral, soothing, and perfect for supporting overall wellness. The best part? You can grow echinacea right in your own garden, even here in Montana! Coneflowers not only add beauty to your garden, but they can be used to make a delicious, immune-supporting tea, just like my lavender tea blend!

echinacea tea in a cup wiht a teapot, checkered towel, and dried flowers

This echinacea tea recipe can be made using either the dried aerial parts of the plant or the root, depending on what you have on hand. The method is slightly different for each, and I'll walk you through both so you can brew it the right way.

What is Echinacea Tea?

Echinacea tea is an herbal tea made from the flowers, leaves, or roots of the echinacea plant. It has been used traditionally for generations, especially during cold and flu season. The tea can be prepared by steeping the aerial parts of the plant or by simmering the root into a stronger decoction, depending on which part is used.

Native American tribes used it both internally and topically to treat snake bites. Plains Indians had other uses for echinacea, using it to treat all types of pain-related issues, toothaches, and infections.

Jump to:

Benefits of Echinacea Tea

Echinacea is popular for seasonal wellness. It's loved for its earthy, floral flavor. Coneflowers (used to make echinacea tea) are also really easy to grow.

Ingredients & Substitutions

1 tablespoon echinacea (flowers and leaves or dried roots)
1 cup water
Sweetener of choice (cardamom syrup, honey, sugar, elderberry syrup)

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Echinacea Tea (two methods)

For Echinacea Flowers & Leaves (Infusion)

Add 1 tablespoon dried and crushed echinacea to a teapot and cover with boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes.

pouring Echinacea Tea out of a tea pot into a cup with a strainer in it

Strain tea through a fine mesh strainer into your favorite cup, then sweeten, if desired.

For Echinacea Root (Decoction)

Add 1 tablespoon dried echinacea root to a teapot and cover with 1 cup of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Strain tea through a fine mesh strainer, then sweeten, if desired.

a flowered tea pot with echinacea tea spilling out of a jar behind it

What the Research Says About Echinacea

Modern research supports many of the traditional uses of echinacea. A 2014 meta-analysis published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that echinacea supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of recurring respiratory infections.

Additional studies have explored its anti-inflammatory potential, including research published in Phytomedicine (2010), which demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory effects in human bronchial cells. Clinical trials reported in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2012) also found that echinacea may help reduce the duration and severity of common cold symptoms.

While echinacea tea isn't a cure, these findings help explain why it has long been used as a supportive herb during cold and flu season.

Safety Note

Echinacea tea is traditionally used as a short-term herbal beverage. Avoid prolonged daily use, and do not use it if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae). This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

Herbal Pairings

Echinacea is often paired with elderberry in traditional herbal preparations. Elderberry is well known for its antioxidant properties and has long been used to support the body during cold and flu season. When combined, elderberry's supportive antiviral properties complement echinacea's immune-stimulating effects, making the two a popular pairing for supporting upper respiratory health.

This combination is commonly used as a supportive blend rather than a treatment, especially at the first sign of seasonal illness.

I often sweeten echinacea tea with elderberry syrup instead of honey or sugar. It adds a rich, berry flavor and pairs beautifully with echinacea's earthy notes.

Equipment

All you need to make this echinacea tea recipe is a teapot, a fine mesh strainer, and a tea cup!

How to Grow Echinacea in Your Garden

Echinacea is one of the easiest medicinal herbs to grow, which makes it a favorite for home gardens and homesteads. Once established, it's draught-tolerant, cold-hardy, and happily comes back year after year with very little fuss. If you're looking for a plant that's both beautiful and useful, echinacea checks all the boxes. It will even thrive in a Montana garden!

What Type of Echinacea to Grow

For home gardeners, Echinacea Purpurea is the most reliable and widely used variety. Other echinacea species exist, but purpurea is the best place to start for beginners.

Easy to grow
Perennial and cold-hardy
Great for teas and other traditional herbal preparations
Attracts bees and pollinators

Where to Plant Echinacea

Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained soil is essential
Water: Moderate watering until established, then minimal

Echinacea does not like wet feet. If your soil holds water, consider raised beds or improving drainage before planting.

When & How to Plant

When to Plant:
- Spring after the last frost
- Or fall for established plants
From Seed:
- It can be slow and may not bloom the first year
From Nursery Starts:
- Faster results and blooms sooner, or leave seedheads for birds or self-seeding.

Space plants 12-18 inches apart

Caring for Echinacea

Water regularly during the first growing season
Mulch lightly to retain moisture and suppress weeds
Avoid heavy fertilizing; echinacea thrives in average soil
Deadhead dried flowers to encourage more blooms

This is a plant that prefers a little neglect. Overwatering and overfeeding are the fastest ways to make it unhappy.

Harvesting Echinacea for Tea

Flowers and Leaves

Harvest petals and leaves during peak bloom
Snip flowers and leaves with clean scissors
Can be used fresh or dried to make tea

snipping dried echinacea into a jar for tea

a jar of echinacea flowers and leaves for tea

Harvesting Echinacea Roots

Wait 2 to 3 years before harvesting roots
Harvest in the fall after the plant has died back
Dig carefully, rinse well, and chop before drying

Roots are the most potent part of the plant and should always be prepared as a decoction, not a simple steep.

Drying and Storing Echinacea

Air-dry in a well-ventilated space or use a dehydrator on low heat
Store in an airtight jar away from light and moisture
Label with the plant part and harvest year (future-you will thank you)

flowers drying in a greenhouse — Coneflowers being dried for tea

Properly dried echinacea will keep its quality for about 1 year.

Why Grow Your Own Echinacea?

For starters, a single echenacia plant lasts for years. You control how it's grown and harvested, and it earns its place in the garden by being both ornamental and practical. Fresh, home-grown herbs beat store-bought any day.

Pro Tips

Roots should always be simmered, not steeped, to extract their beneficial properties.
You can blend echinacea with other herbs, such as mint, lemon balm, or elderflower, to mellow the flavor.
The spiky part of the coneflower (seedhead) is not generally used to make echinacea tea.
Echinacea tea is typically used short-term, not as a daily, long-term beverage.

FAQ

What does echinacea tea taste like?

Echinacea tea has an earthy, slightly bitter flavor with a mild numbing sensation on the tongue, particularly when made with the root. It's not a "sip-for-fun" kind of tea, but a little honey or lemon goes a long way in making it more enjoyable.

Can you use fresh echinacea for tea?

Yes, you can use fresh echinacea for tea, but the flavor will be milder than that of dried echinacea. Fresh flowers and leaves can be steeped just like dried herbs, while fresh roots should still be simmered as a decoction. If using fresh herbs, you'll generally need about double the amount compared to dried.

How often can you drink echinacea tea?

Echinacea tea is traditionally used for short-term, not as an everyday, long-term tea. Many people drink it for a few days at a time during seasoning challenges, then take a break. It's best used occasionally rather than continuously.

Is echinacea tea safe for kids?

Echinacea is commonly used in small amounts, but children may be more sensitive to herbs. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider before giving herbal teas to children, especially those with allergies.

Does echinacea come back every year?

Yes! Echinacea is a perennial, meaning it comes back year after year once established. In fact, healthy plants often grow larger and produce more flowers with each season, making them a long-term addition to the garden.

Can echinacea be grown in cold climates?

Absolutely. Echinacea is cold-hardy and grows well in many northern climates, including areas with harsh winters. Once established, it tolerates cold, heat, and drought surprisingly well.

Final Thoughts

Growing echinacea at home is one of those small garden choices that pays off year after year. It's easy to grow, beautiful in the garden, and useful when you want to make a simple cup of echinacea tea from herbs you harvested yourself.

Whether you're brewing the flowers, leaves, or simmering the roots into a decoction, echinacea is a practical plant that truly earns its place on the homestead.

You may also enjoy learning the differences between mullein vs lamb's ear!

More Tea Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Love this post? I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a 5-star rating
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 on the recipe card and/or a comment below! You can also
Stay in touch with me through social media @Pinterest & Instagram & Facebook!

Recipe