Tisane, infusion, decoction: three words, three gestures

The difference between a tisane and an infusion fits in one sentence: a tisane is a drink, an infusion is a gesture. To infuse is to pour very hot water over plants and leave them to stand off the heat. A decoction is another gesture: the plants are boiled in the water. The tisane is what you get at the end, by either method, from plants other than tea.

In everyday life, and on labels, "infusion" also refers to the drink itself. Hence the confusion. Here is how to find your way.

Tisane: a drink, and a word that comes from barley

The word has a surprising history. It comes from the Latin ptisana, itself borrowed from the Greek ptisánē, which first meant hulled barley, that is, barley stripped of its husk, and then the drink obtained by boiling it. At the outset, then, a tisane was barley water, prepared by decoction.

The meaning later widened to all drinks prepared from dried plants: leaves, flowers, fruit, bark, roots. Only one plant is excluded by usage, the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. A drink made from its leaves is a tea, not a tisane.

Infusion: pour, then wait

An infusion consists of pouring water that has just boiled over the plant, then leaving it to stand for a few minutes before straining. The plant does not boil: it soaks in water that cools slowly.

It is the method for tender parts, leaves, flowers, petals, and for dried fruit in pieces. It is also the method given on the product pages of our herbal infusions, with water at 100 °C and a much longer time than for a tea:

• Chant des Sirènes, apple, hibiscus, rosehip, strawberry, rose and vanilla: 4 to 5 g per cup, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Pêche de Vigne, apple, rooibos, grape, carrot, calendula, pink pepper and peach: 4 to 5 g per cup, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Tisane des Elfes, green rooibos, verbena, orange, raspberry, blackcurrant and blackberry leaves: 4 to 5 g per cup, 7 to 10 minutes.

Why so long? Because dried fruit and flowers release their aromas more slowly than tea leaves. Too short an infusion gives a pale, inexpressive cup. And unlike tea, a fruit infusion does not turn bitter if you forget it for a few extra minutes.

The settings for each family, teas included, are set out in our article how to brew loose leaf tea.

Decoction: bring to the boil

A decoction goes further. The plant is placed in cold water, brought to the boil, and left to simmer, usually for 10 to 20 minutes, before straining.

It is reserved for hard parts: roots, bark, stems, seeds, some berries. A dried root or a piece of bark gives up what it contains far less readily than a leaf or a petal: it takes boiling to draw anything out of it.

A well-known example: one of the traditional ways of preparing masala chai, in India, is to simmer the spices in water first, and only add the tea afterwards. The spices have had their decoction; the tea itself is simply infused.

The third gesture: cold

Reference works mention a third method, cold preparation: the plant soaks in water at room temperature, from 30 minutes to a few hours.

For our herbal infusions, the simplest version is a cold infusion in the fridge. The product page for Tisane des Elfes gives it: the same amount as for hot brewing, a night in the fridge, and you get a very colourful summer drink. Pêche de Vigne can also be served iced: infused as usual, made slightly stronger, cooled, it keeps for 48 hours in the fridge.

What the labels say

On a packet, "tisane" and "infusion" most often mean the same thing: a blend of plants, flowers or fruit, with no tea leaves. In our catalogue, Chant des Sirènes and Pêche de Vigne are called "infusion", Tisane des Elfes is called "tisane", and all three sit together among our fruit herbal infusions.

Some contain rooibos: natural rooibos for Pêche de Vigne, green rooibos for Tisane des Elfes. Rooibos is not a tea: it is a South African shrub, Aspalathus linearis. Red rooibos is fermented after harvest, green rooibos is not, which gives it a lighter, more vegetal base. Our rooibos-based blends have their own shelf, rooibos and honeybush.

The product pages of these three blends state that they contain no theine (caffeine). That is not a general rule for all tisanes: maté, made from the leaves of a South American holly, contains caffeine, the same molecule as theine. What counts is the composition of each blend, not the word on the packet.

One note on Tisane des Elfes, which contains passionflower: if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or under medical treatment, its product page advises asking a health professional before drinking it, and also asking their advice before offering it to a child.

Which gesture for which plant

• Leaves, flowers, petals, dried fruit in pieces: infusion, water that has just boiled, 5 to 12 minutes depending on the blend.
• Roots, bark, hard seeds: decoction, starting from cold, 10 to 20 minutes at a gentle boil.
• Tea leaves: infusion too, but with a temperature and time setting specific to each family.
• Fancy a cold drink: cold infusion, a night in the fridge.

Frequently asked questions

So a tisane and an infusion are the same thing?
For the drink, almost always yes. For the method, no: infusion is one way of preparing a tisane, decoction is another.

Can you say "an infusion of tea"?
Yes, since tea is infused. But a tea is still a tea: the word tisane is only used for plants other than the tea plant.

Should you cover the cup while it steeps?
It is not essential, but a saucer placed on top keeps the water hot for longer, which matters for infusions of 10 minutes or more.

Can a fruit infusion steep for too long?
It does not turn bitter, unlike tea. It simply gets more concentrated: if the cup seems too strong, add a little hot water.