How to Store Dried Herbs: Keep Their Flavor, Fragrance &Potency

Drying herbs is a beautiful way to preserve the essence of the growing season—but proper herb storage is key to keeping their color, fragrance, flavor, and medicinal potency intact. Whether you’re drying your own lemon balm from the garden or purchasing thoughtfully harvested echinacea roots from a small farm, how you store those herbs will determine their shelf life and strength.

At La Ferme A Ciel Sur Mer, we grow, harvest, and dry a wide variety of organic medicinal herbs with care. From airy chamomile blossoms to deep, earthy marshmallow roots, each plant part has its own personality—and that includes how it wants to be stored. This guide will walk you through the best ways to store your dried herbs for long-lasting quality, with tips that apply to home herbalists, tea lovers, and seasoned makers alike.

Ashwagandha roots completing their drying in homemade forced air dryer

Why Proper Storage of Dried Herbs Matters

Once dried, herbs are in a more vulnerable state. They can quickly lose their potency if exposed to heat, light, moisture, or air. Proper herb preservation is not just about aesthetics—it’s about maintaining the beneficial compounds that make herbs effective in teas, tinctures, and other preparations.

When stored well, dried herbs can retain their flavor and medicinal strength for up to 1–2 years or more, depending on the plant part.

🌿 Quick Tip: Always label your herbs with the name and harvest date!

General Guidelines for Storing Dried Herbs

No matter the herb, a few golden rules apply to storing dried botanicals:

• Keep them out of direct light – Sunlight degrades volatile oils and fades color.
  
  

• Use airtight containers – To prevent moisture and air exposure.
  
  

• Store in a cool, dry place – Avoid humid kitchens or bathrooms.
  
  

• Label everything – Include common name, botanical name (if you know it), and date of harvest.
  
  

Glass jars (like mason jars) with tight-fitting lids are ideal. For long-term storage or sensitive herbs, consider tinted amber or cobalt blue jars to block light. You can also use paper bags, tins, or compostable pouches—just make sure they’re stored in a dry, dark space.

At our farm for our flowers we store them in air-sealed 55 gallon fiber drums to store in bulk.

Storing Different Parts of the Herb

🌼 Dried Flowers (Chamomile, Calendula, Anise Hyssop)

Dried flowers are delicate and can lose their fragrance and color quickly if not stored carefully. At our farm, we grow chamomile and anise hyssop, two vibrant, aromatic flowers that require gentle handling.

Storage Tips for Dried Flowers:

• Use a wide-mouth glass jar so you don’t crush the petals when removing them.
  
  

• Keep the jar loosely filled to prevent compacting.
  
  

• Avoid clear containers if storing near a window; opt for amber glass or a dark cabinet.
  
  

• If possible, store whole flowers rather than crushed—they retain more oils and are easier to inspect for freshness.
  
  

Shelf Life: 6–12 months, though well-stored flowers like chamomile can last longer.

💙 Shop our Organic Chamomile Flowers

🌿 Dried Aerial Parts (Lemon Balm, Tulsi, Hyssop)

Aerial parts—meaning the above-ground parts like leaves, stems, and flowers—make up many classic tea herbs. At La Ferme A Ciel Sur Mer, we dry tulsi (Rama and Amrita), lemon balm, and hyssop with gentle heating at low temperature and we blow a lot of air through the material.

Storage Tips for Dried Aerial Herbs:

• Strip larger leaves from stems if you're short on space, but keep them whole when possible to reduce surface area.
  
  

• Pack loosely into a jar to allow some airflow.
  
  

• Avoid plastic bags for long-term storage—they can trap residual moisture.
  
  

Shelf Life: 1–2 years with proper storage, though highly aromatic herbs like lemon balm are best within 12 months.

💙 Explore our Organic Tulsi

🌱 Dried Roots (Dandelion, Echinacea, Marshmallow)

Roots are hearty and tend to last the longest when dried correctly. We harvest and dry echinacea and marshmallow root in the Fall when the above ground growing has stopped after the plant has stored up energy.

Storage Tips for Dried Roots:

• Make sure roots are fully dried—no residual softness or moisture.
  
  

• Chop or slice before storage if they’re thick, but avoid powdering them until ready to use.
  
  

• Store in airtight glass or metal containers.
  
  

• Check every few months for signs of mold or infestation, especially in humid climates.
  
  

Shelf Life: 2–3 years or longer. Roots are some of the most stable stored botanicals.

💙 Echinacea Root for Sale

Photo: Freshly Washed Echinacea Root Before Drying

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced herbalists can fall into habits that shorten the shelf life of their herbs. Here are a few pitfalls to watch for:

• Storing herbs above the stove or sink – These are hot and humid areas.
  
  

• Not checking regularly – Mold, bugs, or fading herbs can be caught early with a quick monthly scan. Moisture is a big culprit here.  Just a few flowers or roots with added moisture can ruin a whole batch.
  
  

• Grinding too early – Whole herbs last longer. Powdered herbs begin to degrade quickly after grinding.  We don’t mill our roots until point of sale and always offer our customers the option to mill on their own.  A simple coffee grinder (cleaned well) works great and will maintain quality a lot longer. 
  
  

How to Tell If Your Dried Herbs Have Lost Potency

Use your senses:

• Smell: Do they still have a strong fragrance? If not, their essential oils may be gone.  Rub some leaves together to see if the smell is still there.
  
  

• Color: Faded green leaves or browned flowers suggest oxidation.
  
  

• Taste: If tea brewed from the herb tastes bland or weak, it may be time to compost it.
  
  

Best Containers for Herb Storage

Here’s a quick guide to help you pick the right storage for your herbs:

You can also purchase airtight UV-proof herb jars made for long-term storage.

 

Photo: UV-Proof Glass Jar

Final Thoughts: Honor the Herbs You’ve Grown or Gathered

Storing herbs is a quiet, mindful practice that reflects the same care you took in growing, harvesting, or sourcing them. Whether you’re storing a handful of calendula petals or a winter’s worth of tulsi, the principles are the same: protect them from air, moisture, heat, and light.

At La Ferme A Ciel Sur Mer, we take pride in drying and storing our herbs with intention—from the root cellar to the apothecary shelves—so you can enjoy their full flavor and benefit when you're ready.

Looking for dried herbs you can trust? Visit our herb collection page to explore what’s currently in stock.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long do dried herbs last?
Most dried herbs retain their potency for 1–2 years if stored properly. Roots may last even longer, while delicate flowers are best within the first year.

Do I need to refrigerate or freeze dried herbs?
No. Room temperature is fine as long as it's cool, dry, and out of the sun. Freezing is not necessary and can introduce moisture when thawed.

 

Related Posts:

What Medicinal Herbs to Grow