From March to September many of us are afflicted with itchy eyes, inflamed sinuses, sneezing, and tiredness that come about from the allergic response to pollen, known as hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis. 1 

Here at our HQ in Somerset, we have a little bottle of tincture prepared by our herbalist, Jonas, containing five widely accessible herbs — Elderflower, Nettle, Plantain, Echinacea, and Peppermint — that together provide welcome relief from hay fever symptoms. 

If you’re living further north in the UK, you may just be in the nick of time to catch Elderflower still in bloom. Traditionally made into syrup, Elderflower can also be made into tincture or simply dried and stored to later be taken as a tea. 

Wherever you are in the UK, Nettles often grow in abundance. They are best picked in early spring before they flower (due to oxalic acid/calcium oxalate in the leaves that become present later in the year, if consumed in large quantities, can cause kidney issues in individuals with compromised kidney function). Nettles can be picked and used fresh in teas, soups or stews, tinctured or dried and stored. Nettle nourishes the blood, bones and immune system, and reduces histamine release, which is responsible for much of the itching and inflammation experienced with hay fever.2,3 

Plantain is also a ubiquitous herb, found in meadows, along paths and in cracks in the pavement. There are two varieties, ribwort plantain and broad-leaved plantain, both of which are trophorestoratives of mucous membranes, meaning they heal tissues and restore their function. As the mucosa of the airways become inflamed with hay fever, Plantain helps to soothe and reduce inflammation.4 

Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) isn’t a native British species, but North American, so you won’t find it here growing wild. Echinacea is immunomodulatory, meaning it alters immune system activity — reducing activity when it’s hyper-responsive (such as with allergy), or increasing activity when it’s depleted or in the face of infection.5  

Finally, Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is a cooling and stimulating decongestant, helping to alleviate tiredness and clear the airways.2 Peppermint is a hybrid mint species, a cross of spearmint and water mint, which is extensively cultivated worldwide and can occasionally be found in the wild growing betwixt its parent species.6 Grown in your garden or on your window ledge, these herbs too would bring much delight to the bees. 

If you are seeking some herbal support for the effects of pollen this summer, acquaint yourself with these herbs, try them — as teas, tinctures, syrups, soups or concoctions of your own creation, and you may find they become your allies. 

 

References 

1. Hayfever. Herbal Reality. (2024, July 18). https://www.herbalreality.com/condition/hayfever/  

2 Hedley, C., & Shaw, N. (2023). Plant medicine. Aeon Books. 

3. Roschek, B., Jr, Fink, R. C., McMichael, M., & Alberte, R. S. (2009). Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis.?Phytotherapy research: PTR,?23(7), 920–926. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2763 

4. Fisher, C. (2018). Materia medica of Western herbs. Aeon Books. 

5. Thomsen, M. (2022). The phytotherapy desk reference. Aeon Books. 

6. Mint. How to grow Mint | RHS Herbs. (n.d.). https://www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/mint/grow-your-own  

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