There’s nothing worse than reaching for a trusted medicinal herb, only to find it’s lost its vibrant color, strong aroma, or potent effects. If you’re investing in high-quality, organic medicinal herbs, proper storage is crucial to maintaining their flavor, fragrance, and therapeutic benefits over time.
I’ve learned through experience that how you store your herbs can mean the difference between a powerful, effective remedy and a faded, stale collection of leaves and roots. Whether you’re working with dried herbs for teas, tinctures, or poultices, taking a few simple but important steps will ensure they retain their full potency for multiple years.
Proper storage of medicinal herbs isn’t just about keeping them fresh—it’s about preserving their healing power. If you’ve taken the time to source or grow high-quality herbs, treating them with care ensures they retain their potency and effectiveness for as long as possible.
By following these simple storage and preservation techniques, you’ll always have strong, vibrant, and effective medicinal herbs on hand whenever you need them.
Why Proper Storage Matters for Herbal Potency
Herbs contain delicate volatile oils, flavonoids, and active compounds that give them their medicinal properties. But these compounds can easily degrade due to light, heat, moisture, and air exposure.
When stored incorrectly, medicinal herbs can:
- Lose their potency (weaker medicinal effects)
- Change color (faded green herbs = oxidized and degraded)
- Lose their aroma (a sign the essential oils are evaporating)
- Absorb moisture (leading to mold growth)
With proper storage, you can extend the shelf life of your herbs, ensuring they remain just as powerful as the day you bought or harvested them.
Best Practices for Storing Dried Medicinal Herbs
1. Use Glass Jars (Not Plastic)
The best way to store dried herbs is in our original foil packaging or in glass jars—Violet glass is the best to block out UV rays, but amber colored glass is the next best. If you only have clear glass, store the jars in a dark cabinet or pantry.
Avoid plastic containers. Plastic is porous, meaning it can absorb and release odors, chemicals, and even moisture, which can degrade your herbs over time.
I use these violet glass apothecary jars to store my personal collection of medicinal herbs.
2. Keep Herbs Away from Direct Light
Sunlight and artificial light speed up the oxidation process, causing herbs to lose potency faster. That’s why storing herbs in our original foil packaging, dark glass jars, or inside a closed cupboard is key.
If you buy herbs in bulk, store small amounts in a working jar and keep the bulk supply in a separate, tightly sealed container in a cool, dark place.
3. Store in a Cool, Dry Place
Heat is another enemy of herbal potency. Avoid storing herbs near stoves, radiators, or warm pantries. Ideally, herbs should be stored at 60-70°F (15-21°C) with low humidity.
Places to avoid storing herbs:
- Above the stove
- Next to a sunny window
- In the refrigerator (moisture can cause mold)
4. Label Everything (With Dates)
It’s easy to forget when you bought or harvested an herb, so if I'm not storing my herbs in our original foil packaging, I always label my jars with the name of the herb and the date of purchase.
Although dried herbs, when stored properly, never truly "go bad" - in general, roots & barks stay potent longer than leaves and flowers.
General Shelf Life Guide:
Leaves & Flowers: 2 years
Seeds & Berries: 2-3 years
Roots & Bark: 3-5 years
How to Store Fresh Herbs for Long-Term Use
If you grow your own medicinal herbs or buy fresh, you’ll need to preserve them before they wilt or lose their potency. Here are the best ways to do that:
1. Drying Herbs Properly
Air-drying is the easiest and most effective way to preserve medicinal herbs long-term. Here’s how I do it:
- Harvest in the morning (when oils are most concentrated)
- Bundle herbs into small bunches and tie them with string
- Hang upside down in a dry, dark, and well-ventilated space
- Once crispy-dry (usually 1-2 weeks), store in glass jars
Alternative: If you live in a humid climate, using a dehydrator on a low setting (95-105°F) is a great option.
2. Freezing for Quick Use
If you want to preserve fresh herbs without drying them, freezing works well for some (but not all) medicinal plants.
- Chop fresh herbs and freeze them in ice cube trays with water
- Store cubes in a sealed bag to prevent freezer burn
- Use for teas, soups, and herbal remedies as needed
Best Herbs to Freeze: Mint, lemon balm, basil, and cilantro
Not Ideal for Freezing: Herbs with woody stems like rosemary or thyme
3. Making Herbal Infusions & Tinctures
One of my favorite ways to preserve herbal potency for years is by making:
-
Tinctures (herbs infused in alcohol or glycerin)
-
Herbal oils (for skin remedies and salves)
-
Oxymels (herbs infused in vinegar + honey)
These preparations extract the medicinal compounds and give herbs a shelf life of several years when stored properly.