Day 13: Cherry blossom tea
- Sarah-Jane Cobley
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 14
Prunus serotina
I tend to favour wild herbs for my teas, however, I am known to get involved in a bit of urban foraging as well.
I come across a lot of wild cherry trees on my wild walks, and yet I cannot resist the big fluffy pink pompoms. These tend to be in busier areas which is less suitable for my purposes.
This year I found a pink one in a field near an old estate house. It felt wilder and so I planned to spend time there one morning enjoying a cuppa. This was the day I changed my plan when coming face to face with 4 new calves in the cherry tree field.
This sent me back to a majestic cherry central to our village, brightening up many a soul as they pass each spring. It has a splendid wooden bench right beneath it, and another couple nearby.
However, as a central village feature, it’s generally a spot with far too much going on for me to feel the restoration I seek from my outdoor tea break.
Hence the early Sunday morning visit. Ahh, quiet bliss.
Time to reminisce.
I see the petals scattered on the grass and it takes me back to when I used to shake a branch above my little sister who was so delighted by the shower of pink petals raining down on her. Smiles, arms wide, dancing and spinning and bouncing with joy.
Even as an adult I couldn’t resist bestowing this little guilty treat upon my own children.
ID features
Cherry trees blossom in April for about 2 weeks. They can have pink or white flowers. The wild ones have 5 white petals and hang from a cluster of 2-6 flowers. The pink ornamental ones are much fuller, like cultivated roses with many petals, and so each cluster looks like a fluffy pompom.
The leaves are long and broad with a serrated edge. They open with the flowers, and whilst small are outshined by the flowers on the ornamental trees, and more apparent on the wild ones.
The bark is very smooth and red, sometimes with peeling paper when young. Older bark is reddish, or greyish brown with horizontal grey, brown or black spots, (called lenticels, which are pores for gaseous exchange).
Medicinal uses
Every spring in Japan they have an annual tradition called “Hanami”, which means, “flower viewing”. People intentionally walk near blossoming cherry trees and share picnics under them to aid their health and wellbeing. It encourages both mindfulness and community, which in turn reduces stress and improves mood.
Again, all before the tea has even been ingested.
Nature bathing, like forest-bathing, (or Shinrin-yoku, as it’s known in Japan), has been well studied for its positive health effects. I am sure this is why I love to have flowers in my tea for as many days as I can during the spring.
It is my flower viewing in a cup moment.
I am curious to try cherry blossom tea as it is prepared in Japan. They preserve their flowers in either plum vinegar or salt, which must create a whole new tea tasting experience.
I’ve mentioned before that I call myself a “Lazy Herbalist”. The simpler the medicine the better. If you can pick it and pop it in a cup of water, then wonderful. If you can set your eyes upon it, and be immersed in its beauty, even better.
What a gentle way to fill our heart and ease our body.
Applications
The blossoms are used in skincare products for their astringency, inflammation reducing and antioxidant actions.
As herbalists, we use cherry bark tincture. This is reserved for debilitating coughs where a suppressant action is needed. Conditions like whooping cough or chronic bronchitis that can keep you up at night.
A cough suppressant will allow you to get the sleep you need to recover. However, they must be avoided during the infective stage. A cough is the natural reflex of a healthy immune response and necessary to help expel the pathogens. Inhibiting it will extend the illness.
As a home remedy, the cherry tails, (stalks), can be made into a tea by bringing to the boil and steeping before drinking.
The cherries themselves also make wonderful medicine, reminding us that food is indeed our best medicine, (and what are herbs, if not food?). Apart from being delicious, the red pigment contains high levels of anthocyanins which are potent antioxidants.
You will have seen that cherry is often used in cough sweets as they work brilliantly with sore throats. They are also anti-inflammatory and used to good effect with arthritis.
As one of the only food sources of melatonin, they also improve sleep quality and duration.
How to make a cuppa
I poured the hot water into the cup first and then placed 3 blossoms on the top, giving them a gentle poke. The colour left them within the first minute exposing the veins within the petals. This left a lace-like affect that was some consolation for the loss of the endearing pink.
Taste
The aroma, as well as the taste, is strongly almondy. This is due to the cyanogenic glycosides which are contained in all plum family flowers and fruits, particularly the stones, (such as plum, peach, sloe, apricot…).
Cautions
Cherry blossom tea is best kept as a once-a-year ritual. Long-term use is not advised due to the possibility of cyanide accumulation in the body.
Click the button below to listen to my audio:
For those Local to me:
My next herb walk is at 6.30pm on Tuesday 15th April. Meet in Peel Park, (on the Community Centre side), in Long Ashton, North Somerset, BS41 9DP. Bring a flask of hot water for a foraged tea.
There will also be a walk in Ashton Court on Tuesday 22nd April. Meet at the entrance to the rose garden with a flask of hot water. We must be mindful that the gates to the grounds are shut at sunset, (8pm), and so we will finish promptly at 7.40pm.
£10 cash on arrival, or pre-pay option via: https://www.healthneedsthyme.co.uk/services
Herbal Medicine Consultations
I am a qualified medical herbalist, trained in much the same way as a GP. However, my medicines are from nature's medicine chest. They nourish and strengthen so that your body can heal itself. I offer consultations via video call and send tonics out in the post. Email me to book an appointment: sarah-janecobley@healthneedsthyme.co.uk
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