Several dried herbs blend well with cannabis, each adding different flavors and subtle effects to the experience. Some smooth out the smoke, others add relaxation or flavor, and a few can shift the character of your high. The most popular options include mullein, damiana, mugwort, lavender, skullcap, and a handful of culinary herbs you may already have at home.
Mullein: The Smoothing Base
Mullein is the most common base herb in smoking blends because it produces a light, smooth smoke with almost no flavor of its own. Its leaves and flowers contain compounds called mucilage, which coat the lining of your respiratory tract with a thin film that reduces irritation. That makes it useful for cutting the harshness of a joint or bowl without changing the taste of your weed. Many people use mullein as 30 to 50% of their blend, essentially replacing the volume that tobacco would fill in a spliff.
Damiana: Mellow and Euphoric
Damiana has a hickory-like flavor with minty, peppery notes and undertones of anise and citrus. It’s one of the more flavorful herbs you can add, and it brings its own mild psychoactive properties to the table. When mixed with cannabis, it tends to create a mellow, euphoric feeling with enhanced relaxation and a slightly sweet aftertaste. People describe it as adding a layer of tranquility, making it a good match for evening sessions or unwinding after a long day.
A good starting ratio is about 25% damiana to 75% cannabis. One thing to be aware of: damiana is a central nervous system-active herb, and at high doses it can cause hallucinations. Keep it as an accent in your blend rather than the main ingredient, and combined with cannabis it may amplify drowsiness.
Mugwort: The Dream Herb
Mugwort has a bitter, slightly spicy flavor and produces mild intoxicating and strongly relaxing effects. What makes it unique among smokable herbs is its reputation for intensifying dreams. People who use mugwort report richer dream texture, better dream recall, more vivid colors, and even engagement of other senses like sound, touch, and smell during dreams. If you already have good dream recall, mugwort can push you toward lucid dreaming, where you become aware you’re dreaming while still asleep.
This is particularly interesting alongside cannabis, since THC tends to suppress REM sleep and dream recall. A pinch of mugwort in a pipe or joint is enough to notice its effects. It has also helped people who wake in the middle of the night and struggle to fall back asleep. Start with a small amount, as its flavor is assertive and can overpower a blend quickly.
Lavender: Calm and Floral
Lavender adds a distinctive floral taste and aroma that pairs especially well with indica-heavy strains. Its active compounds produce anti-anxiety, relaxing, and mood-stabilizing effects, and it can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature. If you find that cannabis sometimes makes you feel anxious or jittery, lavender may help smooth that out.
Because the flavor is strong, start with a 30/70 blend (lavender to cannabis) or even less. You can work up to about 50% lavender if you enjoy the taste, but most people find that a little goes a long way. Make sure you’re using culinary-grade lavender buds, not potpourri or anything treated with essential oils.
Skullcap: Deep Relaxation
Skullcap is a Native American herb traditionally used to treat anxiety, stress, and insomnia. It works as a sedative, with its active flavonoid compounds acting on the same brain receptors that anti-anxiety medications target. Mixed with cannabis, it deepens the relaxing and sleepy qualities of the experience. You can add up to 50% skullcap to your blend, though starting smaller lets you gauge how sedating the combination feels for you. This is strictly an end-of-the-day herb.
Other Herbs Worth Trying
Several more common herbs work well in cannabis blends, each in smaller quantities:
- Peppermint or spearmint: Adds a cool, refreshing flavor that opens up the smoke. Start with a sprinkle and go up to about 50% if you enjoy minty hits.
- Rosemary: Earthy and herbal, it pairs naturally with cannabis. Keep it at 20 to 30% of your mix, as the flavor is strong.
- Sage: Warm and slightly peppery. About 25% is the ideal ratio, but start with a few sprinkles because sage can dominate a blend fast.
- Clove: Produces a warm, spicy smoke with a mild euphoric quality. Use it sparingly, as a little eugenol (the compound that gives cloves their flavor) goes a very long way.
Mixing Ratios and Preparation
The general rule is to keep cannabis as the dominant ingredient, typically 70 to 80% of the blend, and add herbs at 20 to 30%. Strong-flavored herbs like lavender, sage, and rosemary should start even lower. Milder herbs like mullein can take up a larger share. You can also layer effects by combining two or three herbs: for instance, mullein as a smooth base at 30%, a pinch of lavender for calm, and the rest cannabis.
All herbs should be completely dried before smoking. Fresh or damp herbs won’t burn evenly and can taste harsh. Air-dry your herbs, then gently crumble them to a texture similar to ground cannabis. Avoid grinding them into powder, which will pull through a bowl or burn too quickly in a joint. Store your dried herbs in airtight containers away from sunlight and humidity to keep their flavor and quality intact.
Herbs to Avoid
Not everything that grows in a garden belongs in a smoking blend. Devil’s trumpet (datura) is a powerful mind-altering drug containing atropine and hyoscyamine. It can cause dangerous hallucinations, delirium, and toxicity at doses that are nearly impossible to measure accurately in a hand-rolled blend. Coltsfoot, once popular in herbal cigarettes, acts as a potent cardiac and respiratory stimulant and contains compounds linked to liver damage. Ginseng, while safe to consume as a tea or supplement, has caused overactivity and sleep disturbances when smoked.
Any herb that hasn’t been verified as safe for combustion and inhalation should be avoided. The fact that something is “natural” or safe to eat does not mean the smoke it produces is harmless. Burning any plant material creates tar, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, so even safe herbs carry baseline respiratory risks. Adding herbs to cannabis can reduce the amount of cannabis you combust per session, but it doesn’t eliminate the fundamental risks of inhaling smoke.