Dehydrating Medicinal Summer Flowers – Comprehensive Guide

By Eric Mitchell •  Updated: Jan 7, 2024 •  10 min read

Hello, everyone! Let’s dive into the exciting world of dehydrating summer flowers. This is part of an ongoing article about dehydrating various types of plants and herbs.

If you’re interested in exploring more about this, check out this and this and this. As always, in each article, I aim to provide useful tips and insights on the art of dehydrating.

Medicinal Summer Flowers

Key Points [TL; DR]

The Process of Dehydration

How does dehydration work? It’s quite simple. I use my trusty Nesco dehydrator to dry out a variety of items, and I’ve even written an article on how to make cloth liners or covers for dehydrator racks.

These are a cinch to make and can be adjusted to fit any dehydrator. But let’s focus on the new additions to my dehydrating collection: lavender, roses, nasturtium flowers, red clover, honeysuckle flowers, and valerian flowers.

Summer Flowers

Even though I’ve been drying valerian leaves for some time, adding their flowers is a recent development. I’ve left the flowers on my largest valerian plant, which stands at a staggering 9 feet, alone because I’ll be collecting its seeds.

Alongside these, I’ve also been dehydrating rhubarb. It’s astonishing how much space you can save by dehydrating. For instance, I can fit 16 stalks of dehydrated rhubarb into one jar. However, if I were to freeze them, only two could fit. But I do still freeze quite a few, as they’re perfect for making creamsicles.

Health Benefits of Dehydrating Medicinal Summer Flowers

The advantages of dehydrating flowers extend beyond their preserved beauty. Many flowers carry medicinal properties that can support our health in numerous ways. Let’s take a look at some of the flowers mentioned earlier and explore their health benefits:

Lavender

Lavender, renowned for its relaxing fragrance, is more than just a lovely garden addition. It has a range of uses that make it an indispensable part of any natural remedy collection.

Lavender Flowers

Roses

Roses are not only captivating to the eyes but also provide numerous health benefits.

Pink Roses

Red Clover

One of the dehydrated flowers I’ve been focusing on for a few years now is the red clover. Its benefits, especially for the skin, are remarkable.

Red Clover

Red clover is known for its efficacy in treating psoriasis and eczema, and I’ve been adding dehydrated red clover to my soap recipes and my special herbal-infused oil used in my homemade skin cream.

Nasturtiums

Now, the nasturtium flowers are particularly interesting. These beauties not only add color to your garden but also have wonderful uses in skin and hair care products.

Nasturtiums

For instance, I use them in my homemade shampoo and in some of the soaps I sell in my store. Nasturtiums are also known to promote hair growth, which can be helpful for people dealing with hair loss.

Nasturtiums, while commonly used in salads for their peppery flavor, also have multiple medicinal benefits:

Valerian

Valerian, primarily known for its sedative effects, is more than just a sleep aid:

Valerian Flowers

But let’s not forget about calendula, honeysuckle, nasturtium, and lavender flowers. These are all new additions to my dehydration roster. All of them have beneficial properties for the skin. As I learn more about the various benefits of different herbs, I’ve been adding more to my blend.

Essential Tips for Dehydrating Flowers

When it comes to dehydrating flowers, there are some essential tips to consider to ensure the process is successful and to maintain the medicinal benefits.

Storing Your Dehydrated Flowers

Once your flowers are dehydrated, it’s essential to store them correctly to maintain their medicinal benefits:

By incorporating these tips into your dehydrating process, you can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of medicinal summer flowers year-round.

Tips for Harvesting and Using Dehydrated Flowers

To maximize the production of flowers for dehydration, it’s crucial to harvest them right away. Once the flowers (and hence the seeds) are removed, the plant is stimulated to produce more. This leads to an increased yield of flowers.

As for usage, dehydrated valerian flowers make a wonderful tea with a pleasant taste and aroma. They have similar benefits to the root, including being sedative and relaxing. In addition to flowers, the leaves of young valerian plants are also beneficial and can be used immediately.

Lavender flowers have antibiotic properties and are excellent for skin health. The key to harvesting lavender is to do it before the little buds on the flower stalks open up. This ensures maximum benefits.

Then we have the roses. While they are often harvested after they open up, harvesting them early can have its advantages, like a more pungent aroma and potentially more potent benefits.

Wrapping It Up

That’s all for now, folks! Dehydrating is an easy and effective way to preserve and make the most out of your medicinal summer flowers. The benefits are numerous, and the possibilities are limitless.

Don’t forget to check out my other articles about dehydrating plants. It’s a treasure trove of information on different herbs and their various uses. More articles are coming your way, so stay tuned. And remember, stay curious and keep exploring!

Eric Mitchell

Eric is the owner, author, content director and founder of dehydratorlab.com. He is the lead architect and the main man in matters concerning dehydrators, their accessories, guides, reviews and all the accompaniments.Whenever he is not figuring out simple solutions (hacks) involving cookery and their eventual storage, you will find him testing out the different types of dehydrators, to bring us the juicy details regarding these devices.He is a foodie enthusiast, pasionate about making jerky has a knack for healthy and tasty food and won't hesitate to share out any ideas that might be of value around this subject.

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