Homemade Echinacea Tincture Recipe
It’s easy to make your own homemade echinacea tincture at home for a fraction of the cost of store-bought prepared tinctures. All you need is fresh or dried echinacea and some alcohol (vodka is typically used) or glycerin if you’d rather make an alcohol-free glycerite. Read on to learn how!
Echinacea Medicinal Benefits & Uses
Echinacea has earned a reputation for being a potent herbal remedy for cold and flu symptoms, however it has been used as a general “cure-all” throughout history. The echinacea plant originates from North America and has been used by Indigenous peoples for hundreds of year to treat everything from sore throats and colds to toothaches, snake bites, inflammation, infection and more.
Echinacea is an immune boosting herb that has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antioxidant properties. Today it’s best known for its ability to help shorten the length and lessen the severity of common cold and flu symptoms such as sore throat, cough and fever, and is most effective at treating bronchial infections, respiratory infections, sore throats and oral infections.
Because it’s an immune stimulating herb, echinacea is MOST effective when taken right at the onset of symptoms, before a virus or illness has a chance to really take hold.
Echinacea is generally considered to be a very safe herb for adults and children of all ages, however it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor or health care provider to make sure echinacea is safe for you to use, especially if you suffer from an autoimmune disorder or are on any prescription medications.
Related: Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Medicinal Parts of the Echinacea Plant
All parts of the echinacea plant are medicinal, including the aerial parts (flowers and leaves) and the roots.
There are many different types of echinacea (also known as coneflowers) that come in all different colours. The purple varieties have the highest concentrations of medicinal properties, specifically Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea pallida.
I grow Echinacea purpurea at home (these are the exact seeds that I started my plants from a few years ago). Echinacea purpurea has its medicinal properties concentrated in the flowers and leaves, so I focus on harvesting the aerial parts of the plant first and then the roots second.
You can use only the flowers and leaves for medicine or only the roots, or you can use all parts of the plant together (as I do in this whole-plant echinacea tincture recipe that follows). You can also use just one type of echinacea plant to make your tincture, or you can combine two or even all three. One of the things I love most about making your own herbal medicine is that it’s highly adaptable and customizable!
Where to Get Echinacea
If you can grow echinacea at home, this is the best way to source it as it’s a perennial that will continue to produce year after year. You can also harvest all parts of the plant this way.
* Avoid harvesting the roots of the echinacea plant until it’s at least 2 to 3 years old in order to allow the plant to establish itself so it returns year after year.
I got my echinacea from West Coast Seeds a few years ago and started them from seed back in 2019 (3 years ago at the time of publishing). They are now well-established perennials that produce more than enough medicine for my family every year, as well as add beauty to our garden and attract tons of local pollinators like honeybees, bumblebees and hummingbirds.
If you’re in the U.S., I recommend True Leaf Market for all your seed needs, including echinacea seeds!
It’s possible to forage for wild echinacea in some areas, however due to its medicinal properties, echinacea has actually been over harvested in recent years so it’s best to leave any wild patches you come across.
You can also purchase dried echinacea to make your own tinctures and herbal medicines. I recommend purchasing dried echinacea from Farmhouse Teas or Starwest Botanicals if you’re not growing it yourself.
Related: What to Stock In A Home Apothecary
How to Harvest Echinacea
If you’re growing your own echinacea, you’ll want to harvest it when it’s at its peak. While you can technically harvest all of the parts of the plant at the same time (near the end of summer/beginning of fall), you’ll get the most benefit and highest medicinal concentrations if you harvest each part of the plant when its at its peak.
The leaves are best harvested in the spring when they are fresh and new, the flowers are best if harvested from about mid to late summer, right from the time the buds begin to ripen until the flowers are fully in bloom. And the roots are best harvested in the fall after the aerial (top) parts of the plant have begun to die back.
You can harvest each part of the plant when it’s at its peak and add it to your tincture jar (with your alcohol, which will preserve it). Then continue to add the different parts of the plant throughout the growing season until you have a whole-plant tincture at the end.
To harvest the leaves and the flowers, simply cut them off with a pair of scissors or garden shears. To harvest the roots, dig around the plant to loosen the roots and lift them up out of the ground, being careful not to dig up the entire plant (you want it to come back next year after all!)
I don’t bother rinsing the flowers or leaves, but I do give the roots a good rinse and a scrub before I chop them up and add them to my tincture.
Homemade Echinacea Tincture Vs. Glycerite
The recipe I’m sharing with you today is a whole-plant echinacea tincture, meaning it uses all parts of the plant, including the aerial parts (flowers and leaves) as well as the roots. However you can adapt the recipe to only use the flowers and leaves or only the roots if you prefer.
This tincture is made with an alcohol base (I use vodka, but you could use any 80-proof alcohol, such as brandy or gin), or you can make an alcohol-free glycerite if you prefer.
A glycerite is made exactly the same way as a tincture, but uses vegetable glycerin instead of alcohol. While alcohol tends to be a stronger solvent (meaning it is better at extracting the medicinal properties from the plant), vegetable glycerin is a great alcohol-free alternative if you’re concerned about giving it to kids or prefer not to use alcohol for any reason.
Do keep in mind that you only use a few drops of this tincture at a time and it is typically diluted in water or tea, so the alcohol content is very low.
How to Make Homemade Echinacea Tincture
Tinctures are very easy to make at home. All you need to do is fill a clean glass jar with plant matter and cover with alcohol. Vodka is always a top choice as it’s highly effective at extracting the medicinal properties from plants and is also odourless and flavourless, but brandy and gin are both good options too (or substitute vegetable glyerin as outlined above).
If using fresh echinacea, chop up the flowers, leaves and roots into smaller pieces to increase the surface area of the plant matter (this will help the solvent (the alcohol or glycerine) to extract more of the medicinal properties from the plant. Make sure to wash the roots well first!
Stuff a Mason jar (or any clean glass jar) full of the echinacea flowers, leaves and roots. Fill about 3/4 of the way full with packed fresh plant matter (leaving at least a couple inches of headspace at the top of the jar so you can cover it with alcohol), or about halfway full with dried plant matter. Cover completely with alcohol (or glycerine). Screw the lid on and give it a good shake.
Let sit on the counter at room temperature or in a sunny window (for a sun infusion) for at least 3 to 4 weeks.
Strain out the plant matter, reserving the liquid. Transfer the tincture to a dropper bottle (or another smaller jar or bottle), label, date and store in a cool dark place until ready to use.
How to Use Echinacea Tincture
Take half a teaspoon of homemade echinacea tincture every hour or so when you feel like you’re just starting to come down with a cold. You may increase the dosage to half a teaspoon every half hour if you feel like you need a little extra support.
Continue taking echinacea until you start to feel better, then decrease the dosage a little bit at a time until you’re feeling well.
If you’re suffering from a more chronic illness, you can take half a teaspoon of echinacea 3 times per day for up to two weeks at a time. Then take a break for at least one week in between. Echinacea is an immune stimulant so it’s important to take breaks from using it so that it doesn’t overstimulate your immune system as this can lead to unwanted side effects and resistance to the effects of the medicine.
Homemade Echinacea Tincture Recipe
Ingredients
- Fresh or dried echinacea leaves, flowers and roots
- 80-proof alcohol (vodka, brandy or gin)
Instructions
- If using fresh echinacea, chop up the flowers, leaves and roots into smaller pieces to increase the surface area of the plant matter (this will help the solvent (the alcohol or glycerine) to extract more of the medicinal properties from the plant. Make sure to wash the roots well first!
- Stuff a Mason jar (or any clean glass jar) full of the echinacea flowers, leaves and roots. Fill about 3/4 of the way full with packed fresh plant matter (leaving at least a couple inches of headspace at the top of the jar so you can cover it with alcohol), or about halfway full with dried plant matter.
- Cover completely with alcohol (or glycerine). Screw the lid on and give it a good shake.
- Let sit on the counter at room temperature or in a sunny window (for a sun infusion) for at least 3 to 4 weeks.
- Strain out the plant matter, reserving the liquid. Transfer the tincture to a dropper bottle (or another smaller jar or bottle), label, date and store in a cool dark place until ready to use.
Notes
- If gathering the echinacea fresh from your garden, you’ll get the most potent medicinal properties if you gather the leaves in the late spring, the flowers in the summer when they are just beginning to bloom and the roots in the fall once the plant has begun to die back. Add each part of the plant to your tincture as you harvest them. However you can harvest any or all of the above at any time the plant is blooming and in season if you like.
- You can also make a variation with only the leaves and flowers or only the roots if you’d prefer.
- You can substitute vegetable glycerin for the alcohol if you'd prefer to make an alcohol-free glycerite.
CATEGORIES
ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
How to Use a Rocket Mass Heater to Cook & Heat Off-Grid
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. Learn how to heat and cook off-grid with a rocket mass heater, and why this is an even more energy-efficient solution than a traditional wood stove! This is a...
My Favourite Things – 2022 Edition (aka. The Modern Homesteader’s Christmas Wish List)
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. Every year around this time, I compile a list of my favourite things: Things that I love, use or covet for my own homestead, and things that I know other modern...
If you haven't checked-in lately, the last week or so, we've sorta been in the trenches of homesteading and life over here. While some make it out to be glamorous all the time there are high's and low's just as there are in life.
With all that's going on, I've been making a point to find my way back into the garden, which is not only needed to feed my family, but also for some personal spiritual nourishment.
I just want to take a minute to love on my favorite veggie today, Broccoli! 🥦 It's one we plant over-and-over and I'm leaning into its abundance this year.
Not only is it one of my favorites, but we've also found it's one of the easiest veggies to grow so if you haven't tried it or added it to your garden yet, there's no better time than the present.
I've got an entire post on How to Grow Broccoli from Seed here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-grow-broccoli-from-seed/ if you're looking for any tips or tricks.
In my "How to" post you'll also find a link to one of my favorite recipes for Cream of Broccoli Leaf Soup!
Can I be honest?
Sometimes you've gotta take a step back and look at the life you've created for yourself and ask yourself "is this truly what I want?"
The other day I shared about losing two of our rabbits this week to Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. The stress of losing them comes amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions around here...
From work pressures for Ryan to me trying to run a business and handle a very fussy, colicky 2-month-old (and a very busy 6-year-old), to things ramping up in the garden again and all of the other million things that need to get done (including multiple loads of laundry a day thanks to more spit up than I ever knew a baby was capable of producing), I finally felt like I was ready to crack this week.
Oh, not to mention we're doing this all on next to no sleep thanks again to our sweet boy.
I know this is all part of what we signed up for, but when it all happens at once, it can feel completely overwhelming. And when I'm completely overwhelmed and stressed out, that's exactly when I get sick too, which is exactly what happened a couple days ago.
Then yesterday (Saturday) I woke up feeling awful and decided to scroll Instagam as I nursed Noah. I saw other mothers with 6, 8 or even 10 kids somehow keeping it all together getting three square meals on the table every day while managing to keep a tidy kitchen and find time to Instagram about it.
I saw other homestead bloggers reaching new levels of success in their business that I can only dream about right now. And as I sat there in bed, covered in spit up with a ravenous baby nursing off me as I tried to console him, I felt sad for myself in that moment that I couldn't live up to the folks I was comparing myself to.
Later in the day I had to work, so Ryan took the kids to the beach and I stayed home. And I felt sad once again; Sad that I was missing out on yet another weekend with my family because I had created a life where I now have to work weekends just to keep up.
But the silver lining was that the work I had to do yesterday forced me out into the garden, and it was probably the most soothing thing I could have done for my soul.
(Continued in comments…)
Sometime homesteading looks like homegrown vegetables and freshly laid eggs and sourdough rising on the counter.
And sometimes it looks like tears when you have to bury one of your animals 😔
Ryan went out to feed the bunnies yesterday and Flopsy -our little black and white bunny- was laying dead in the pen. There was no blood, other than a little bit by her mouth. Seems like something internal happened. We’re not sure what.
Evelyn helped lay her to rest yesterday. It was a hard weekend for her. First she stayed with grandma and went with her to put her sick, 17-year-old cat down. Then she came home to the news that Flopsy was gone.
But I believe she’s more resilient because of it. We talked to her about how death is a part of all life, and allowed her to go through the stages of grief and process it however she felt she needed to.
Homesteading isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and snuggly barnyard animals. Homesteading teaches us hard lessons and helps us to become stronger and more resilient by challenging us daily.
Yesterday was a sad, hard day. But I’m glad we got to experience it together as a family.
A few years ago, Forbes published an article titled Dear Homesteaders, Self-Reliance is a Delusion.
Let’s unpack this…
What does self-reliant really mean? Is it actually achievable, or just a pipe dream?
Over on the blog today I'm unpacking all of these thoughts, and the things I do know for sure as a homesteader, mother and member of a strong and self-reliant community.
But I really want to hear from you! Post in the comments below what self-reliance means in modern times, or what steps you're taking to be more self-reliant.
Read the full article here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/what-is-self-reliance/ or at the link in my bio
The spring issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine is out now!
It’s that time again...
The time when things begin ramping up in the garden, the barnyard and the home.
From trays of seedlings to baskets full of eggs, spring is in the air and I don’t know about you, but I’m here for it!
It’s also time for a brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, and boy do we have a good one for you…
In the spring issue, we cover a diverse range of topics from how to trade your skills for land to the realities of going off-grid, from seed-starting to what to do with too many eggs, and from the simple joys of a homemade herbal cocktail to the sometimes heavy emotional toll of raising meat animals.
In this issue, you’ll find:
🌱 What it really takes to live off-grid, with Tammy Trayer of Trayer Wilderness
🌱How you can trade your skills for a piece of land with the SKIP program from the folks at Permies.com
🌱 Everything you need to know about seed-starting to set your garden up for success and abundance!
🌱 What to do with too many eggs! Author Mimi Dvorak-Smith shares 800+ ways to use ‘em up when your hens start laying.
🌱 How to make your own healthier cocktails with homemade botanical syrups
🌱 Dealing with the emotional toll of raising meat animals on the homestead
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to login to the library and read the spring issue (current subscribers) or subscribe for just $19.99/year to read this issue and gain instant access to our entire library of past issues!
#modernhomesteading #homesteading #selfsufficiency #springonthehomestead
If you grow plants from seed (or if you want to), you’re likely going to want to start a few of them indoors. And if you start your seeds indoors, something that will make your life so much easier (and make your seedlings bigger, stronger and healthier) is an indoor growing stand with grow lights.
I've got a post I'm sharing with you today that will walk you through choosing the best type of lighting for whatever you're growing and then a step-by-step guide of how to make your grow stand, along with product recommendations if you want to make yours just like mine!
Ours can accommodate up to about 200 seedlings, but you can make yours as small or big as needed:)
You can check out the post here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-build-indoor-growing-stand/ or at the link in my bio.
Let me know in the comments what you're growing new, or what you're most excited about in your planting journey this year!
Theme of the Month: ADIDAS
No, not the textiles brand, it stands for: 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 because it's officially March and we are in full swing around here!
Before you just start throwing seeds in the ground or into red solo cups on your windowsill, it’s important to take some time to read your seed packets and get to know each crop’s specific needs.
Understanding the information on a seed packet is super important when it comes to gardening, especially if you want your plants to get a strong, healthy start and produce an abundance of food for you. And what gardener doesn’t want that?!
Set yourself up for success and take a minute to read through my 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦, before your weekend gardening plans begin.
Grab the guide link in my bio, or get it here: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/how-to-read-seed-packets/
Happy Planting:) ✨
This all-natural homemade toothpaste recipe is made with just four simple ingredients that are good for both your body and your bank account!
I’m on a personal mission to replace every commercially-made, toxic product in our home with homemade, all-natural alternatives. One-by-one, I’m getting closer every day.
The benefit of making all-natural toothpaste at home is avoiding the unhealthy additives found in most commercial toothpastes by substituting ingredients with proven benefits for oral health.
So if you’re also on a mission to rid your own home of toxic products and replace them with healthy, all-natural versions that actually work, then I highly recommend whipping up a batch of this all-natural homemade toothpaste.
Wishing you health, wealth and squeaky clean teeth… The all-natural way;)
You can find the recipe here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/all-natural-homemade-toothpaste-recipe/ or at the link in my bio.
It's that time of year 🌱 seed starting season!
I know you can feel it too. The transition from winter to spring is truly a special time. It’s when life begins again. It’s the very first taste of all that lies ahead.
So before you go just planting any and every seed you can get your hands on, I've got a list of 8 Things to Think About Before Starting Seeds, to get you off on the right food!
I will walk you through, planning, sowing, containers, watering, lighting and more, and if that's not enough you can download my Seed Starting Cheat Sheet at the end to lay it all out.
I hope you're as excited as I am for the beautiful Spring season that lies ahead:)
You can find the list here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/before-starting-seeds/ or at the link in my bio.
What are you planting this year? Anything new you've never tried before? Share with me in the comments!
Ever thought about growing mushrooms at home??
A great EASY way to get started is with one of these mushroom grow kits from @northsporemushrooms
All you need to do is cut open the pack, spray with a little water (the kits even come with a handy little spray bottle), and then sit back and watch the magic happen!
And seriously, watching mushrooms goes does feel a little like magic because they grow so fast you can practically see them growing, no time lapse necessary!
The mushrooms are ready for harvest in just a few days. No gardening experience or land necessary! Even a newbie homesteader in an apartment in the city can grow these babies!
This is a great way to dip your tow into the much bigger world of mushroom growing and harvesting, and to try out a few new varieties that you probably won’t find anywhere else.
I grew Pink Oyster Mushrooms, Lion’s Mane and Blue Oyster Mushrooms (all pictured here). I’ll be using the Pink Oyster Mushrooms in a rigatoni pasta for dinner tonight. I turned the Lion’s Mane into Lion’s Mane “crab cakes” and the Blue Oyster Mushrooms are delicious as part of a stir fry or sautéed in butter and spooned over sourdough toast.
If this reel intrigues you, you can grab your own mushroom grow kit (along with time of other mushroom related products, including fruiting blocks, outdoor log kits, medicinal tinctures, capsules and more) at northspore.com. Use code HOUSEANDHOMESTEAD for 10% off your order!
And if you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my interview with Louis Giller of North Spore Mushrooms in the winter issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine. You can also find my recipe for Lion’s Mane “Crab Cakes,” along with other delicious mushroom recipes and an in-depth feature on medicinal mushrooms including Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga and Cordyceps in the winter issue.
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to subscribe or login to the library and read the current issue.
Mushrooms really are pure magic, don’t ya think? 🍄 ✨
#mushrooms #mushroomhead #shrooming #eatyourshrooms #mushroomsaremagic #modernhomesteading #urbanhomesteading #homegrown
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, it probably comes as no surprise that I don’t exactly love relying on the grocery store to provide for me and my family, and that sentiment is only getting stronger as time goes on.
Between supply chain issues, rising food costs and the plethora of unhealthy ingredients, chemicals and GMO foods on grocery store shelves, I’d rather toil in the garden and kitchen all year to grow and preserve my own food than have to rely 100% on grocery stores to provide for me.
But that being said, we are in no way 100% self-sufficient so when I do go to the grocery story, I haveI have some ingredient guidelines in mind that I use when shopping for my family.
Check out my shopping tips, what I do and don't buy, and where and who I like to buy from here at this link https://thehouseandhomestead.com/healthy-grocery-shopping-tips/ or at the link in my bio.
Usually by late February/early March, right about nowish, I’ve pretty much had enough of winter and the thought of enjoying a tropical fruit platter and a cold adult beverage on a sunny beach in *insert tropical vacation destination here* seems to be just about all I can think about...
But with a newborn at home that's about the last thing on our to-do list right now! So this year, I will be visiting my tropical escape via my favorite Low-Sugar Mango Jam recipe.
If you do have tropical vacation plans, have a piña colada for me 🙏🏼, but if you don't then this recipe may be just what you need to "escape" for a few minutes into that tropical paradise:) 🥭🍹
Check out the recipe here https://thehouseandhomestead.com/low-sugar-mango-jam-recipe/ or at the link in my bio.
Let me know how the recipe works for you, and if add in any additional fruits to change it up!
0 Comments