Donum ∞ Dei

🤒 Medicinal Plants for Fever

Fever is not the illness but the body answering it. Traditional herbal practice therefore rarely tries to suppress it and instead accompanies it: diaphoretic flower teas, plenty of fluid, rest. What matters is knowing where home remedies stop — high or persistent fever, fever in small children and fever with a stiff neck need medical attention straight away.

40 plants from our database are traditionally associated with Fever – each with a profile, active compounds, safety notes and sources. Poisonous and legally controlled species are deliberately left out of this list; they remain reachable through the search and the plant index.

These plants are traditionally used for the listed conditions. Not medical advice — consult a doctor or pharmacist for persistent symptoms.

Photo of Carpinus betulus
Carpinus betulus
Carpinus betulus

Bach Flower Remedy No.

Photo of Cornus mas
Cornus mas
Cornus mas

Ripe cornelian cherry fruits are eaten fresh or prepared as compote, jam, juice, and dried fruit.

Photo of Cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus

Infusion from fresh or dried stalks and leaves: 1–2 tsp chopped lemongrass in 200 ml hot water, steep 10 minutes.

Photo of Filipendula ulmaria
Filipendula ulmaria
Filipendula ulmaria

Flower infusion for feverish colds and influenza-like illness — Kommission E positive monograph based on natural salicylate compounds.

Photo of Galium aparine
Galium aparine
Galium aparine

As a diaphoretic, cleavers tea was used in fever conditions.

Photo of Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata

Infusion of dried aerial parts (leaves, stems) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for upper respiratory tract infections, chronic cough,…

Photo of catnip
Catnip
Nepeta cataria

Warm catnip tea is considered diaphoretic and antipyretic.

Photo of Salix alba
Salix alba
Salix alba

Decoction of willow bark (standardised to salicin) for low back pain, mild joint complaints and fever — positively assessed by Commission E; the EM…

Photo of Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra

Traditional diaphoretic flower tea for feverish colds — perspiration-promoting use recognised by EMA as traditional use.

Photo of Sorbus aucuparia
Sorbus aucuparia
Sorbus aucuparia

In Austrian and Central European folk medicine, rowan berries were used as tea, syrup, or jelly for colds, flu, cough, bronchitis, and fever.

Photo of Prunus spinosa
Prunus spinosa
Prunus spinosa

Sloes eaten raw after the first frost or processed as jam and juice.

Photo of Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea

Expressed juice from fresh flowering herb (EMA well-established use) for short-term prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract colds.

Photo of Poinsettia
Poinsettia
Euphorbia pulcherrima

In some regions of Mexico and Central America, leaf infusions of poinsettia were used in folk medicine for fever.

Photo of Geum urbanum
Geum urbanum
Geum urbanum

Root infusion in folk medicine as a febrifuge and diaphoretic for infectious diseases.

White labiate flowers and grey-green leaves of white horehound
White Horehound
Marrubium vulgare

Folk horehound gargle tea for sore throat, hoarseness and pharyngitis — astringent tannins soothe locally.

Photo of Tarragon
Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus

In the folk medicine of Central Asia and the Middle East, extracts of tarragon were used as antipyretics and digestive aids, as well as for loss of…

Photo of Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum

Tulsi tea from dried leaves and flowers has been used in Ayurveda for centuries as a rasayana (rejuvenating agent) and adaptogen.

Photo of Centaurea cyanus
Centaurea cyanus
Centaurea cyanus

Historically used as a mild diuretic and diaphoretic for fever and fluid retention.

Photo of Turmeric
Turmeric
Curcuma longa

Traditional cold remedy 'Haldi-Doodh' (turmeric latte) — Ayurvedic home remedy for colds, sore throat and febrile infections.

Yellow ray flowers of elecampane
Elecampane
Inula helenium

Traditional root tincture for chronic respiratory complaints and digestive weakness — stronger sesquiterpene extraction than tea, be aware of heigh…

Photo of Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor

Folk cough and cold tea — mucilaginous, mildly diaphoretic, traditionally for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.

Photo of Ginger
Ginger
Zingiber officinale

Ginger rhizome as universal culinary and household spice — fresh, dried, candied, as syrup or pickle.

Photo of Menyanthes
Menyanthes
Menyanthes trifoliata

Traditional folk use for fever (hence the name 'fever clover'), rheumatic complaints and as a spring blood-cleansing tea - no longer supported by EMA

Photo of Populus tremula
Populus tremula
Populus tremula

Phytodolor®, a standardised combination of extracts from Populus tremula, Fraxinus excelsior, and Solidago virgaurea, is the best-documented phytot…

Photo of Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia rebaudiana

Used in South American folk medicine to support fever, infections, and skin problems.

Photo of Tanacetum parthenium
Tanacetum parthenium
Tanacetum parthenium

Folk infusion for fever and headache and to promote menstruation — historically widespread, today scientifically supported only for migraine prophy…

Photo of Fagus sylvatica
Fagus sylvatica
Fagus sylvatica

Beech bark decoction was used in European folk medicine for fever, colds, and mild respiratory complaints.

Photo of Fraxinus excelsior
Fraxinus excelsior
Fraxinus excelsior

Ash bark was historically used in Europe as a substitute for Peruvian bark (quinine) in intermittent fever (malaria-like conditions).

Photo of Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea

Historical folk use as bitter tonic in fever and debility ('fever root') — no proven antipyretic effect.

Photo of Potato
Potato
Solanum tuberosum

Raw potato juice (pressed from freshly grated tuber, taken on an empty stomach) is used in folk medicine for gastric complaints, heartburn, gastric…

Photo of Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis

Traditional infusion of flowering vervain herb for catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract — a constituent of the well-known combination prod…

Photo of Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense

In traditional folk medicine of Mexico, Yucatán and the Caribbean, small amounts of very hot Capsicum chinense fruits are used as a circulatory sti…

Photo of Tilia platyphyllos
Tilia platyphyllos
Tilia platyphyllos

Traditional diaphoretic tea for the onset of a cold.

Small white flowers of eyebright with yellow and violet markings
Eyebright
Euphrasia officinalis

Infusion of the flowering herb (1–2 g per cup, steep 10 min) for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, hay fever, and sinusitis.

Photo of Sanguisorba officinalis
Sanguisorba officinalis
Sanguisorba officinalis

Infusion from fresh or dried great burnet leaves as a tea substitute with mildly cooling properties.

Photo of Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria

Traditional agrimony gargle for mild oral and pharyngeal inflammation, aphthae and gum irritation — astringent tannins, EMA traditional use.

Photo of Quercus robur
Quercus robur
Quercus robur

Full baths with oak bark extract (commercial preparation or 100 g bark per full bath) are used in folk medicine for rheumatism, chilblains, and ext…

Photo of Vaccinium myrtillus
Vaccinium myrtillus
Vaccinium myrtillus

Fresh bilberries as food and source of anthocyanins, vitamin C, vitamin E, quercetin, manganese and pectins.

Photo of Tilia cordata
Tilia cordata
Tilia cordata

Traditional diaphoretic tea at the first signs of a cold.

Historic botanical plate of black cohosh (Cimicifuga/Actaea racemosa) showing the rhizome, divided leaves and long white flower raceme, from John Torrey's Flora of the State of New-York (1843)
Black cohosh
Actaea racemosa

Main use: relief of menopausal complaints such as hot flushes, increased sweating, sleep disorders and nervous irritability.

Different concern? All complaints at a glance · all plants

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