Creeping Charlie Tea
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Heart-shaped Creeping Charlie leaves make a mild minty homemade tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
Creeping Charlie Tea
If you’ve been to my planting for pollinators lecture, you know one of the options I recommend to get rid of plants you don’t like is to eat them. Well, first identify what they are, make sure they haven’t been treated with chemicals, then eat them.
Creeping Charlie is a lovely candidate for that approach. A member of the mint family, Creeping Charlie can be used in salads as well as a homemade tea. It has a pleasantly subtle mint-like flavor.
Creeping Charlie Tea Recipe
Pick enough leaves to loosely fill a quart jar.
Thoroughly wash the Creeping Charlie.
Place the plant material in a quart jar.
Fill to top with boiling water.
Cover jar and steep for one hour.
Remove plant material and drink either hot or cold.
Optional: Add lemon or lime slices with a sprig of fresh mint.
Creeping Charlie leaves steeping in hot water for a cup of mild minty tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
If you want to make just a cup, I use 5-10 leaves per cup. Tear up the leaves to help release the mint flavor, place in a tea ball and add to hot water. Let steep for 5 minutes.
Drink as is or add a dab of honey.
