The cup
A cup is a promise. These ratings, flavors, and asterisks are the house rule — drawn from herbal literature and safety reviews, written for this stillroom. Not a diagnosis. Not a prescription.
Not in this cupboard
Hedeoma pulegioides / Mentha pulegium
Pulegone. Liver, kidney, seizures, multi-organ failure. Documented deaths from the oil and from teas, including in infants. Even a ‘small’ pot has caused serious harm. There is no safe recreational cup. Not in this cupboard.
Dictamnus albus
Strong phototoxicity: sap plus sun can blister and stain the skin for a long time. Internal use has been tied to liver injury. No established tea dose. Not in this cupboard.
118 promised teas
Generally safe
Zingiber officinale
Hot, lemony-spice, a little sweet when simmered. Fresh is brighter; dried is woodier and hotter.
Caution
Capsicum annuum
Sharp heat, fruity-pepper, then a slow burn. A pinch in a cup is plenty.
Generally safe
Piper nigrum
Warm, woody, pungent. A crack in tea is a spark, not a pot.
Generally safe
Cinnamomum verum
Warm bark, sweet-spice, dry and woody. Cassia is fiercer; true cinnamon is softer.
Caution
Syzygium aromaticum
Hot, sweet-numbing, dental and festive. One bud flavors a cup.
Generally safe
Curcuma longa
Earthy, bitter-warm, slightly peppery. Needs fat or black pepper in food; tea is a golden bitter.
Generally safe
Salvia rosmarinus
Piney, resinous, camphor, woody, a little pepper. Strong and distinctive.
Generally safe
Thymus vulgaris
Earthy, pungent, slightly minty and warm. The characteristic thyme. Can be strong.
Caution
Allium sativum
Sulfur, heat, then sweet if cooked. Raw in honey is fierce; broth is kinder.
Caution
Salvia officinalis
Earthy, savory, slightly bitter and camphor, warm and distinctive.
Generally safe
Taraxacum officinale
Leaf is bitter-green; roasted root is coffee-dark, nutty, and bitter.
Generally safe
Laurus nobilis
Camphor, pine, a quiet pepper. One leaf in a pot — you taste it more than you sip it.
Generally safe
Urtica dioica
Earthy, green, spinach or mineral, a soft sweetness when well-made. Slightly astringent.
Generally safe
Althaea officinalis
Mild, mucilaginous, faintly sweet and hay-like. Soft on the tongue.
Generally safe
Ulmus rubra
Bland, oatmeal-sweet, slick. A coating cup, not a perfume.
Caution
Petroselinum crispum
Fresh, green, bright herbal, a mild bitterness. The familiar kitchen leaf.
Caution
Apium graveolens
Intense celery, salty-bitter, a little musty-spice.
Generally safe
Avena sativa
Green hay, mild sweetness, mineral. A long steep tastes like a field.
Generally safe
Plantago major
Green, slightly bitter and mushroomy. Quiet.
Caution
Laminaria spp.
Ocean, iodine, brine. A flake, not a handful.
Generally safe
Matricaria chamomilla
Sweet, floral, apple or honey, soft hay. Gentle. A pale golden cup.
Generally safe
Foeniculum vulgare
Sweet anise, warm seed, a little licorice.
Generally safe
Elettaria cardamomum
Camphor-citrus, eucalyptus-sweet, floral-spice.
Caution
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Distinctly sweet, anise, earthy, a little woody. Sweet even without sugar.
Caution
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Maple syrup or burnt sugar with bitter, celery-seed, savory undertones. Strong and unmistakable.
Generally safe
Avena sativa
Cream, grain, soft sweetness. Food in a bowl more than a tea.
Caution
Illicium verum
Strong licorice, sweet and piercing. One star is a pot.
Generally safe
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Clove-pepper, sweet basil, a little lemon. Warmer than sweet basil.
Generally safe
Calendula officinalis
Resinous, slightly bitter, marigold. A golden, peppery flower cup.
Generally safe
Carum carvi
Rye-spice, anise-dill, warm seed.
Generally safe
Citrus limon
Bright peel oil, tart juice, floral pith if you over-steep the rind.
Generally safe
Mentha × piperita
Cooling, refreshing, classic mint. Sharper and more mentholated than spearmint.
Generally safe
Melissa officinalis
Mild lemon-citrus in the cup, soft mint, a little sweet. Delicate and calming — not sharp, not acidic.
Generally safe
Rosa canina
Tart, fruity, apple or cranberry, a mild sweetness. Bright.
Generally safe
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Brightly tart, cranberry, floral, refreshing. A deep red cup. Can be quite acidic.
Generally safe
Sambucus nigra
Sweet, floral, muscat-grape or lychee, soft honey. Delicate and fragrant.
Generally safe
Ocimum basilicum
Sweet, aromatic, fresh-herbal. Anise, clove, pine, or citrus by the leaf. Warming. Turns slightly bitter if you forget it in the pot.
Generally safe
Coriandrum sativum
Citrus-seed, warm, slightly soapy-floral to some noses.
Generally safe
Lavandula angustifolia
Floral-camphor, soap if you use too much. A pinch in chamomile is the dose.
Generally safe
Mentha spicata
Cooling and refreshing, milder and sweeter than peppermint. A kinder mint in the cup.
Caution
Armoracia rusticana
Sinus-clearing heat, mustard-tear, then sweet root. A scrape, not a tea.
Caution
Myristica fragrans
Warm wood, sweet-spice. A grating. A teaspoon is the wrong story.
Generally safe
Pimenta dioica
Clove-cinnamon-pepper in one berry. Warm and round.
Not a cup
Sassafras albidum
Classic root-beer, spicy-sweet, aromatic — the safrole-rich root bark.
Thin data
Smilax spp.
Root-beer sweet, earthy, a little woody-vanilla.
Generally safe
Verbascum thapsus
Mild, tea-like, slightly sweet and mucilaginous. Strain the fuzz.
Caution
Achillea millefolium
Bitter, aromatic, a little chamomile-and-iron.
Caution
Rumex crispus
Bitter iron, earth, a tannin finish.
Limit the cup
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Intensely bitter, hay, a fever-cup taste. Not a pleasure pot.
Generally safe
Crataegus spp.
Leaf and flower: mild, slightly sweet or green-tea. Berry: mildly sweet-tart, apple, a little mealy.
Caution
Rubus idaeus
Black-tea astringent, green, faintly fruity.
Generally safe
Sambucus nigra
Cooked: dark fruit, jam, a little earth. Raw is not the cup.
Generally safe
Arctium lappa
Sweet earth, mild bitter, burdock-root savor.
Generally safe
Nepeta cataria
Mildly minty, slightly bitter, earthy and herbaceous, softly aromatic. Grassy or faintly lemon.
Generally safe
Cichorium intybus
Roasted: coffee-bitter, nutty, slightly sweet. Leaf is salad-bitter.
Caution
Echinacea purpurea
Tingling tongue, earthy-floral, a faint numbness. Root is stronger than flower.
Caution
Tanacetum parthenium
Bitter daisy, slightly camphor. Not a sweet cup.
Generally safe
Humulus lupulus
Beer-bitter, resinous, grassy-floral. A sleep pinch.
Generally safe
Marrubium vulgare
Intensely bitter, earthy, slightly minty or camphor. Strong and medicinal. Often wants honey.
Caution
Leonurus cardiaca
Very bitter, leonurine-green. Honey is not optional.
Caution
Trifolium pratense
Mildly sweet, floral, hay-like, soft green. Pleasant and light.
Limit the cup
Hydrastis canadensis
Fierce bitter, yellow-root, drying. A smear, not a mug.
Caution
Inula helenium
Bitter aromatic, camphor-iris, old-closet sweet.
Caution
Artemisia vulgaris
Bitter Artemisia, sage-camphor, a little mint.
Generally safe
Agrimonia eupatoria
Mild apricot-bitter, astringent, tea-like.
Caution
Hyssopus officinalis
Mint-camphor, bitter-herb, a little anise.
Caution
Medicago sativa
Light, grassy, herbaceous. Iceberg lettuce, lentils, a whisper of lemon or sweet hay when well-dried. Mild and clean; flat or musty if the leaf is old.
Generally safe
Stellaria media
Green, corn-silk mild, slightly salty-fresh.
Generally safe
Galium aparine
Green, cucumber-watery, a faint bitterness when strong.
Generally safe
Zea mays
Sweet corn, hay, mild and silky.
Limit the cup
Equisetum arvense
Grassy, silica-dry, a little marsh.
Generally safe
Viola odorata
Leaf is green and mild; flower is a faint sweet perfume in the cup.
Caution
Panax quinquefolius
Bitter-sweet, earthy, a little licorice-root.
Generally safe
Rubus allegheniensis
Astringent black-tea, green, a berry-leaf finish.
Thin data
Viburnum opulus
Bitter bark, slightly sweet, viburnum-astringent.
Caution
Salix alba
Bitter bark, aspirin-green, tannin.
Limit the cup
Hamamelis virginiana
Astringent, woody, a little floral-bitter. Distillate is for skin, not a daily pot.
Caution
Prunus persica
Green almond, mild bitter, a faint cyanide-cousin if you overdo wild Prunus.
Generally safe
Rhus typhina
Tart berry, lemon-sumac, a red sour cooler.
Caution
Brassica juncea
Pungent heat, nutty when toasted. A spice, not a tea.
Generally safe
Allium cepa
Sweet-sulfur when cooked in honey or broth. Raw is a different heat.
Generally safe
Anethum graveolens
Green seed, caraway-cousin, bright and pickle-sweet.
Caution
Angelica archangelica
Celery-musk, bitter-sweet, a candied-stem perfume.
Limit the cup
Borago officinalis
Leaf and flower: fresh mild cucumber, a soft honeyed or green note. Flowers are lighter and more floral-sweet.
Thin data
Paeonia officinalis
Root is bitter-sweet and astringent; the flower is beauty, not a pot.
Limit the cup
Quercus robur
Harsh tannin, wood, a binding cup. A wash more than a beverage.
Limit the cup
Artemisia abrotanum
Lemon-camphor, too fierce for a mug. A sachet leaf.
Generally safe
Thymus citriodorus
Thyme with lemon rind. Bright, herbal, a little pine.
Generally safe
Aloysia citrodora
Intense, pure lemon — often called one of the finest lemon cups. Bright, clean, slightly floral.
Limit the cup
Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
Maple-hay if you insist — this is a scenting plant, not a daily pot.
Generally safe
Levisticum officinale
Celery turned up loud. One leaf seasons a soup.
Generally safe
Monarda didyma
Bright bergamot or Earl Grey, citrus-mint, oregano or thyme underneath. Aromatic and distinctive.
Limit the cup
Pogostemon cablin
Not a kitchen tea. The dried leaf is earth-musk for the jar.
Generally safe
Pelargonium graveolens
Rosy, citrus, floral, distinctly geranium. Complex and perfumed. Excellent in a blend.
Generally safe
Myrrhis odorata
Sweet, distinct anise or licorice, a soft green. Naturally sweet.
Limit the cup
Comptonia peregrina
Cinnamon-maple if you crush it. A light hedge cup at most.
Generally safe
Origanum majorana
Sweet, mild, floral-oregano, piney, a little citrus. Softer and sweeter than oregano.
Limit the cup
Anthoxanthum odoratum
Vanilla-hay. A sheaf, not a decoction.
Generally safe
Artemisia dracunculus
Anise-green, sharp, a vinegar herb that can stand a short steep.
Limit the cup
Carphephorus odoratissimus
Vanilla only when wilted. A scenting leaf, not a cup.
Limit the cup
Galium odoratum
When dried: sweet vanilla, hay, distinct coumarin. The May-wine cup.
Thin data
Stachys officinalis
Mildly bitter, aromatic, a little astringent and tea-like. Refreshing when well-made — the old note was ‘the good of tea without the drawbacks.’
Generally safe
Sanguisorba minor
Fresh, mild cucumber with a subtle nutty or green note. Clean and refreshing, cold or hot.
Generally safe
Ilex vomitoria
Smooth, malty, earthy, lightly grassy or green-tea. Low tannin — it does not easily go bitter. A clean caffeine lift.
Generally safe
Tanacetum balsamita
Balsamic-mint or spearmint-lemon, a sweet astringent finish. Aromatic and pleasant in a cup.
Thin data
Turnera diffusa
Aromatic, slightly bitter and resinous, spicy or woody, sometimes a mild chamomile note. Assertive. Often sweetened.
Thin data
Glechoma hederacea
Mildly bitter, aromatic, minty, green, slightly astringent.
Generally safe
Solidago odora
Sweet anise or licorice in the cup. Pleasant and aromatic — the goldenrod worth brewing. Many cousins are only bitter.
Limit the cup
Rhododendron groenlandicum
Aromatic, resinous, spicy-pine or camphor, a northern character. Strong if you over-brew it.
Generally safe
Cymbopogon citratus
Bright, strong lemon-citrus, grassy, slightly sweet or gingery. Clean and refreshing.
Generally safe
Tilia spp.
Sweet, floral, honey, soft green or hay. Delicate and soothing.
Generally safe
Ceanothus americanus
Mild, pleasant, slightly astringent, tea-like. Caffeine-free. The old liberty cup.
Thin data
Diospyros virginiana
Mild, slightly sweet or astringent, leafy-tea when dried. Not strongly distinctive.
Thin data
Veronica officinalis
Mildly bitter, astringent, tea-like or slightly herbaceous.
Generally safe
Fragaria vesca
Mild, slightly sweet, fruity-leafy, gently astringent. Delicate. Pairs well.
Generally safe
Camellia sinensis
The true tea. Green is vegetal, grassy, marine, or floral. Black is malty, fruity, astringent. Oolong and white have their own faces.
Caution
Gaultheria procumbens
Strong wintergreen — methyl-salicylate, minty-sweet, intensely aromatic.
Generally safe
Ilex paraguariensis
Earthy, grassy, slightly bitter, robust. Smoky if the leaf was roasted. An acquired cup for some.
Traditional kitchen and folk use only. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are pregnant, nursing, on medicine, or unwell, ask a clinician before drinking anything as a remedy.