How to make tea from beech leaves?

The beech is a well-known tree in our regions. But did you know its leaves can also be used to make an infusion? This hot drink made from beech leaves is appreciated for its mild, slightly bitter flavour and can also be enjoyed cold. Discover in our tutorial how to harvest, dry and prepare a homemade beech leaf infusion.

beech leaf infusion — Common beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Which variety of beech to choose?

Several beech varieties exist, but the one we recommend for infusions is the common beech (Fagus sylvatica). It is a tree of European forests, found solitary in gardens or used in hedges for its green (or purple on Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii') foliage and marcescent habit (which dries but does not fall in autumn). Prefer healthy trees grown without chemical products and away from pollution. If buying beech leaves in store, favour organic shops.

Note: do not confuse beech with hornbeam. Beech leaves are villous, whereas hornbeam leaves are hairless and dentate.

recognise beech leaves — Left: beech leaves recognisable by their hairs; right: hornbeam leaves, dentate.

When and how to harvest beech leaves?

If young leaves are harvested in spring for salads, harvest for infusion can be carried out from spring until end of August while foliage is still green.

As with many plants, it is best to harvest on a sunny morning, when leaf properties are most concentrated. Harvest only green, healthy leaves free of disease.

How to dry and store beech leaves?

Fresh beech leaves can be used to make this homemade infusion, but they keep only a short time and deteriorate quickly. So to have leaves year-round, nothing beats drying your leaves.

Drying beech leaves

1- Once harvested, rinse leaves under a gentle stream of water to remove dust and impurities.

2- Then spread leaves flat, well spaced from each other, on a clean cloth or absorbent paper to remove moisture.

3- Once water has evaporated, arrange leaves the same way on a rack, in a drying filament or on a dry clean cloth. Place everything in a warm, well ventilated room away from sunlight. You can also speed up drying using a dehumidifier or a very low‑temperature oven.

5- After a few days, leaves are dry when they crack under your fingers. You can then store them in an airtight container or a small kraft paper sachet away from light and moisture.

Dried beech leaves will keep for about 1 year.

storing beech leaves — Storing in jar is perfect for dried herbs and leaves

Beech leaf infusion recipe

1- Pour 250 ml water into a saucepan, about one cup.

2- Add about two teaspoons of dried beech leaves.

3- Place saucepan over low heat, and when water begins to simmer, remove from heat.

4- Cover saucepan and let steep for 10 minutes.

5- Strain infusion using a sieve or fine‑mesh strainer to remove leaves.

6- Pour infusion into cup and enjoy hot or cold.

Note: to vary flavour and pleasure, you can also create blends by combining beech leaves with lemon balm lemongrass, thyme (especially in winter with a teaspoon of honey and a little lemon juice for sore throat), or lemon verbena.