Medicinal Uses of Geraniums – Homemade Tea, Oil, or Compresses.

Last updated on April 24th, 2025 at 11:01 pm

Discover the medicinal uses of geraniums and learn how to make healing geranium tea, geranium oil infusions or a geranium compress.

The Medicinal Uses of Geraniums for Natural Remedies, Beauty, and Wellness

Geraniums aren’t just eye-catching flowers for your garden beds and containers—they’re surprisingly powerful when it comes to natural healing. These cheerful plants have a long history of medicinal use, especially the scented varieties like rose-scented Pelargonium graveolens. With astringent, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, geraniums are a must-have for anyone exploring herbal wellness.

Whether you grow them indoors or out, you can harvest geraniums to make tea, infused oils, facial toners, salves, and compresses that support skin health, mood balance, and more.

What Makes Geraniums Medicinal?

Native to South Africa, geraniums produce essential oils in tiny glands around their leaves and flowers. The essential oil—often steam-distilled for use in aromatherapy—is prized for its balancing effects on skin and mood.

However, you don’t need to distill oil to enjoy their benefits. You can use fresh or dried geranium leaves and flowers in DIY home remedies, beauty products, and even as a culinary herb.

Medicinal Benefits of Geraniums

Geraniums are:

• Astringent – tones and tightens skin, helpful for acne or oily skin
• Antiseptic – cleanses cuts, scrapes, and minor wounds
• Soothing – relieves stress, anxiety, PMS, and menopausal symptoms
• Anti-inflammatory – can calm eczema, bruises, or sunburn
• Antifungal – useful for nail fungus and athlete’s foot
• Mildly sedative – may help with insomnia and general restlessness
• Insect repelling – natural repellent for mosquitoes and even ticks (safe for dogs in small amounts)
  

Caution: Geraniums are generally safe, but those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have autoimmune conditions should consult a health practitioner before use. The information provided here is general in nature and is not intended as medical advice.  Only you can decide if geraniums are safe for you to use so proceed at your own risk.

How to Use Geraniums at Home

1. Geranium Herbal Tea

A calming herbal tea made from geranium leaves or petals can ease stress and help with digestion.

To make:

• Use 2 teaspoons of dried leaves or 1/4 cup fresh.
• Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the leaves.
• Steep for 5 minutes, then strain and enjoy.

Add a little honey or lemon if desired!

2. Geranium Oil Infusion

Great for massages, skin care, or homemade salves.

To make:

• Fill a clean glass jar with dried geranium leaves and flowers (leave about 1 inch at the top).
• Pour in extra virgin olive oil until it covers the herbs by at least 1 inch.
• Seal and place the jar in a sunny window for 2 weeks, shaking it daily.
• Strain and store in a cool dark place or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Use it as a facial oil, in bath water, or for dry skin.

3. Geranium Compress

Perfect for sunburn, bruises, sore muscles, or inflamed skin.

To make:

• Steep 2 tablespoons of dried geranium in 1 cup of boiling water.
• Cover and let sit for 15 minutes, then strain.
• Soak a clean cloth in the warm infusion, wring out, and apply to the affected area for 10–15 minutes.

Related Posts: How to Make Herbal Tinctures, Bee Sting Remedies. Also see: How to Preserve Herbs on AllFreeCrafts.com

Growing Geraniums Year-Round

You don’t need to say goodbye to geraniums when summer ends. These hardy plants can thrive indoors with a little TLC.

How to Overwinter Geraniums:

Option 1: Start Fresh from Cuttings

• Snip healthy 4–5″ stem cuttings before frost.
• Root in moist potting mix or water.
• Pot and place in a sunny window once roots are well-formed.

Option 2: Bring Whole Plants Indoors

• Dig up garden geraniums before the first frost.
• Trim them back to about 6 inches.
• Re-pot in fresh soil and place in a bright, sunny spot indoors.

Geranium Care Indoors:

• Let soil dry out between waterings.
• Fertilize every 2–3 weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer or use slow-release granules.
• Provide at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.

In Summary

Geraniums are more than just pretty flowers—with all the medicinal uses of geraniums, they are a home herbalist’s delight. From soothing teas to skin-nourishing oils and natural insect repellents, this versatile plant deserves a place in your wellness routine and your windowsill.