Sunflower Tea Anyone?

The Kansas explorer often reads other blogs that are interesting.

At Tourism Oxford, (January 12, 2013) he came across a recipe for Sunflower Tea that seemed intriguing. The recipe is buried in an article about Dr. Perry (no first name given) of Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. The doctor, it seems, treated many of his patient's ailments with herbal remedies. Dr. Perry, so the article says, "found great success with herbal remedies and would grow an abundance of flowers and herbs around his home." The Sunflower tea recipe was popular to treat the symptoms of malaria.

A sunflower I grew

Tourism Oxford

Sunflower Tea Recipe

Take leaves and stems of sunflower and steep in brandy. Add a little ash bark.

 Ever the skeptic, the Kansas Explorer checked another site just to make sure Dr. Perry was up on his stuff. Sure enough, from Herbal Legacy we learn that there is a real Sunflower leaf tea:

Sunflower leaf tea has been used to treat high fevers, and for lung ailments. Just a few tablespoons of sunflower leaf tea will stop diarrhea—so it is best to use it sparingly. The leaves have both diuretic and expectorant properties.

 This will make me look at sunflowers a little differently.