Willow herb

Why we love this botanical

W illowherb opens with a soft, green-floral scent reminiscent of morning light along a forest edge. The aroma is subdued yet rich in nuance, with a light stem tone that keeps the whole fresh and clear. The first sip feels quiet, leafy, and precise, without becoming dry or sharp. Willowherb brings a quiet refinement to blends and offers a natural, calming base on which other botanicals can rest beautifully.

During steeping, willowherb develops a straw-yellow, clear infusion with an elegant, dry herbal structure. The taste remains soft and transparent, with a subtle field flower tone that refines the infusion without sweetening the profile. The herb softens pronounced floral tones and balances earthy or citrus-rich botanicals. This creates an infusion that feels mature, calm, and refined, perfect for blends with a green, quiet signature.

Habitat & Origin

Willowherb (Epilobium parviflorum) grows in moist meadows, brook valleys, and light forest edges throughout Europe and West Asia. The upper parts are harvested in summer when leaf and flower together are most aromatic and air-dried to retain their fine structure. Maison Tisane selects leafy, delicate batches with minimal lignification and a soft, green scent.

Active compounds

Willowherb contains flavonoids, ellagitannins, and light aromatic acids that together form the dry, mild-herbal signature. The green aromatic components provide a subtle field flower tone and a fine, leafy mouthfeel. In blends, willowherb acts as a quiet, almost forest-edge-like base that organizes floral and fruity tones and applies a soft, calm structure.

The Epilobium parviflorfum, pure and in full growth

Ayurvedic approach

Willowherb has a clear, dry-leafy energetics that mainly soothes Pitta and orders Kapha, while Vata is used with attention due to the slight bitterness. In mountain and forest edge traditions of Europe, it was seen as a 'light herb of clearings': a plant that appeared where soil and sun met. That symbolism resonates in infusions. Energetically, willowherb feels like soft morning sun along an open slope — refining, calm, and precise.

Thermal energy (Virya) neutral

Pitta

Balancing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light balancing

Vata

Increasing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light increasing

Kapha

Balancing

Increasing Balancing

Effect: light balancing

Flavour profile & Blending

Intensity

Strong

Accessibility

Accessible

Character

lingering, full, astringent

Role in the blend

Base or harmonising herb (30–80%): forms the main body of the blend and brings the other ingredients into balance.

The indicated percentage refers to the approximate weight proportion of this herb within the total blend, but it can of course be adjusted to give the herb a more dominant or more subtle role.

Willowherb supports blends with a quiet, dry-green structure that organizes floral and forest-like elements. It makes linden blossom and chamomile less sweet and gives lemon balm a more herbal, natural profile. With raspberry leaf or birch leaf, a forest-edge-like base is created on which fruity botanicals like blueberry or rose hip taste softer and more interwoven. Willowherb acts as a refining leaf layer: it brings serenity, calmness, and maturity to a blend without forcing a pronounced aroma.

Willowherb combines nicely with berry-based desserts, honey yogurt, light custards, oat crumble, and subtle lemon tart. The dry greenness tempers sweetness and gives fruit a fresher edge. In savory combinations, it works well with grilled vegetables, soft cheeses, and light grains, where it adds a quiet, forest-like underlayer.

More flavour details

Selection guide (aroma directions)

Intensity

Freshness

Citrus

Fruity

Floral

Spicy / Herbal

Earthy / Woody

Food pairing (structure)

Sweetness

Sourness

Bitterness

Astringency

Body

Aftertaste length

Sharpness / Pungency

Blending notes: vegetal (4/10)

Experience Willow herb

Discover the versatility of this botanical in our blends, or use it as the foundation for your own creation in our Blendstudio.

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Ancient Herb

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Why we love this botanical