Linden (Tilia americana)
Linden is one big exhale. It has one of the most simple and floral scents I have ever experienced. When I was first starting out with herbs, Linden kept coming up as a recommendation for anything from sleep, to burn out, to blood pressure. I bet you’ve experienced Linden in your life, in your city, in some way or another. It is quite popular and offers some amazing benefits to all. As a mother, Linden is especially helpful for the feeling of being frazzled and experiencing burn out. Keep reading for some ideas below!
Energetics: cool, moist, relaxant
Family: Malvaceae
Medicinal Part: flowers, leaves, bark (though less used)
Medicinal Applications:
Heart Related: Blood pressure modulation for both high and low blood pressure + cardiovascular issues, including arrhythmia and history of heart attack.
Nerve Pain: Soothing to nerve sensations in the body. This includes both acute and systemic.
Emotional Heart/ Nervous System: Relaxant for the mind and body. An ally for anxiety, nervousness, sleeplessness, and overstimulated nerve pains. Helpful for ADHD or the “frazzled” feeling.
Growing Linden
Linden is a tree that can be identified by its heart shaped leaves with one side of the heart a bit larger than the other, just like our hearts! When the flowers bloom, the tree gives off a wonderful floral fragrance. Plan to give the tree some years to mature and plenty of space to grow.
Suited for zones 3-7.
Plant in full to part sun. Grows 50’-80’ tall and 50’ wide.
Harvest of flowers is short, generally mid-summer.
Some practical applications for Linden
General Relaxation - A hot infusion, or a “a hug in a mug”, can give you a little lift and a big exhale.
Burn Out/ Frazzled - Feeling frazzled? Overworked? A cold infusion of Linden has a moistening effect for the nervous system to bring you back to calm and collected. Try 2-4 cups per day over the course of one month to see how you feel.
MS, Fibromyalgia - In these diseases, the myelin sheath (part of your nerves) are damaged. A regular cold infusion can help rehydrate and smooth out these dried nerve cells, decreasing nerve pains and sensations.
Cold Infusion of Linden:
2-3 tablespoons of linden flowers in one quart of hot water. Allow to sit anywhere from 6-8 hours to overnight (then place in fridge). Enjoy 2-3 cups per day.
Linden is a special herb for me. I do still get a few leftover nerve sensations from a previous MS diagnosis, so I am trying out a regular cold infusion of Linden a few times each week to see if I see impact. What I do know, is when I am in the luteal phase of my cycle and feeling a bit more frazzled, Linden is to the rescue. Bonus - the amazing floral scent and pregnancy friendly :)
Have you ever tried Linden? What do you think? I’d love to hear of your experiences in the comments below!