Linden blossom

This article deals with the linden blossom as a medicinal plant. For other meanings of the term, see Linden (genus) .

Blossoms of the summer linden tree

Blossoms of the winter linden and tree bumblebee

Linden blossoms of the summer linden ( Tilia platyphyllos ) have long been used as a remedy and are still used as such today.

blossom

The summer linden tree blooms from June to August, whereas the winter linden tree ( Tilia cordata ) with similar flower characteristics blooms a few weeks later. On the underside of the linden blossom there is an inconspicuous, scale-shaped and a large, tongue-shaped wrapper. It is thin-skinned and greenish-yellow in color. It also has slightly smaller leaves.

The sepals are gray-green, egg-shaped and pointed, the petals yellow-greenish white and more or less erect. The stamens are up to 30 mm long. The fruit grows up to 8 mm. It is almost spherical, lonely, thin-skinned and fragile. When the fruit ripens, the entire fruit cluster spreads together, with the large wrapper serving as a flying device.

Remedies

Dried linden blossom for tea preparation

The linden blossom was already known as a remedy in the Middle Ages and is still used today with great success. It is one of the most famous home remedies . Their effectiveness is proven by experience in home medicine , other effectiveness studies for the linden blossom itself are lacking. However, there are studies on its ingredients.

tea

The entire inflorescence with the corresponding bract is used for the production of tea , the harvest takes place up to five days after the blossoming and ideally on a dry morning. The dried linden blossoms are yellowish to greenish, but the infused tea is deep gold-red in color.

ingredients

• Essential oils
• Vegetable acids
• Mucilages
• Glycosides ( flavonoids , saponins )

The smell of the flower is strongly aromatic and the taste is slightly sweet.

use

As a tea

Linden blossom tea has a cough-relieving effect on catarrh of the respiratory tract due to the mucous substances and soothes a sore throat . The other ingredients, such as glycosides, give the linden blossom an antispasmodic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is therefore mainly used for febrile colds, flu-like infections and catarrhs ​​of the upper respiratory tract and as an accompanying treatment for rheumatism, kidney inflammation and sciatica .

The linden blossom is also used to treat mild cramps , migraines and stomach disorders. Linden blossoms also contain substances that have a calming effect and are used to alleviate anxiety.

As a bath concentrate

Lime blossom extracts are also added to bath concentrates because of their calming and sleep-promoting effect.

Further meaning

The linden blossom is an excellent source of nutrition for insects, especially for honey bees , where honey yields of up to around 2.5 kg per tree and flowering season are possible.

Web links

Wiktionary: Lindenblüte  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Commons : Linden Blossoms Summer Linden  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Commons : Lindenblüten Winterlinden  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Tiliae flos - Lindenblüten Ph. Eur. 1997. (No longer available online.) University of Greifswald, archived from the original on January 1, 2012 ; Retrieved June 10, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ Linden as a bee pasture at lwf.bayern.de, accessed on October 6, 2017.
3. ↑ Josef Lipp et al .: Handbook of Apiculture - The Honey . 3., rework. Ed., Ulmer, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-8001-7417-0 , p. 39

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !