Quick And Easy Homemade Rosehip Tea Recipe

Rosehip tea is a delicious fruity drink that can satisfy a sweet tooth and boost immunity. This healthy fruit is packed with healthy compounds that make it as tasty as it is good for you. It’s been used for centuries by the Turkish and Chinese as an herbal medicine and a meal-time tea.

Brewing rosehip tea is quick and easy whether you choose to use tea bags or fresh fruits. With this guide, you’ll discover how to make rosehip tea using fruits from rose plants in your garden or in your neck of the woods.

What Is Rosehip Tea?

Rosehip tea is an herbal tisane made from the fruit of the rose plant. Rose hips are typically vibrant red or orange in color, but they may also be black or deep purple depending on the rose species.

The rose hips grow after the flowers of rose bushes are pollinated. Rosehips can be found on wild rose plants as well as cultivated home garden varieties. Some species such as Rosa rugosa grow best in sand dunes along coastal areas, while other North American species grow better in mountainous regions.

These wild fruits emerge in spring and early summer and remain on the plant until autumn or early winter. The fruits are packed with natural vitamins including  vitamin C, which can help boost the immune system and streamline digestion.

The plants—and the tea from its fruit—are popular across the world from California to Switzerland. Rose hips are commonly used in beauty products such as face creams and lotions. They can also be used to make homemade rosehip jam or rose hip jelly. This fruit can also be used to bake breads and pies and are used to make wine, syrups, and soup.

Rosehip tea is frequently blended with hibiscus flowers or mint leaves when making tea. It's a fruity tea with tangy and sweet flavors that are reminiscent of green apples and ripe plums. Rose hips tea can be brewed as an iced tea or a hot tea. It's typically packaged using dried rosehips and rarely contains any rose petals. You can also find pre-made rosehip tea bags at grocery stores for quick and easy brewing.

Tips For Making Rosehip Tea

You can make dried rosehip tea by using the fruits right from your garden. Start by harvesting the fruits when they are firm and colorful. Avoid harvesting fruits that are picked over by insects or shriveled. You can also harvest rose petals and set the spent flowers aside to make rose petal tea. Rinse them in the sink and let them air dry. Once they are dry, you can start the official drying process.

Carefully trim the top of the fruit and remove any leaves from the fruit. Spread them on a large baking sheet and set them in direct sunlight to dry. The drying process will take anywhere from several hours to a few days depending on humidity and temperature. Once the fruits are deep black or purple and hard to the touch, you can store the loose leaf tea in an airtight container.

Always use spring or filtered water when brewing herbal teas. Tap water contains chemicals that can alter the delicate flavor profile and distilled water won’t develop flavors at all. Also make sure to harvest rose hips from rose plants that are free from chemical contamination such as fertilizer. Don’t harvest rose hips in areas that may be contaminated by pollution including busy roadways.

Rose Hip Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Cup & Leaf Organic Rosehip Tea
• 2 tablespoons hibiscus flowers
• 2 cups water
• A little honey (OPTIONAL)

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a rapid boil in a pot on the stove.

2. Turn down the heat and add the dried rosehips and hibiscus flowers to the boiling water.

3. Let the tea steep for 10 to 15 minutes with a lid covering the pot.

4. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the dried leaves from the hot water.

5. Pour the tea concentrate into tea cups and serve with a dash of honey or a sprig of mint.

Rosehip tea is one of the easiest wild foods to forage for and harvest. The rose plant is easily recognizable and hardy enough to grow in numerous different locales. Grow a few bushes in your own yard and brew delicious rosehip tea. The cook time is only 10 to 15 minutes, so you can sip this sweet and tart elixir in no time.