The part I use to tincture is like a ball..it is undeveloped flowers and leaves. It only forms one time on each stem. I dry it completely before putting them in a jar and adding brandy to cover and then shake every day for a month/then strain/ then wait a day and decant off trying to leave the sediment in the jar (I go ahead and use this first and bottle the other liquid in clean dark bottles and LABEL!) I have never tried not drying the plant parts I use to tincture. Aunt Bean