Herbal products, usually the leaves, roots, and fruit that possessed specific reviving and recuperative qualities, were processed into useful medicines and dietary supplements. Ephedra is a low stalky shrub with jointed green to brown stems and tiny unnoticeable leaves. The genus ephedraknown in much of north america as mormonteacomprises about 40 shrubby species that are found throughout the arid and semiarid regions of the northern hemisphere. Green ephedra was traditionally used as a beverage and medicine. For example, antioxidants and polyphenols burst through green tea. Be careful not to confuse mormon tea ephedra nevadensis with ephedra ephedra sinica and other ephedra species. Mormon tea is a milder member of the ephedra family than the chinese variety, but it used in a similar fashion, but unlike e. Directions take 16 drops, 3 times daily, or as directed by your healthcare professional.
Sep 21, 2017 tea plants can be pruned to remain small. According to the harvard medical school, teas health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids plantderived compounds that are antioxidants. Plants that most people dont realize are psychoactive. Mainly grown for its foliage, the plant doesnt look like it has any leaves, but it actually does have small, scalelike leaves and tiny flower cones. The plant known as mormon tea is one of the best known of the herbal medicines to be created by the north. The plants have been used by native peoples and pioneers as sources of. This spiky shrub is native to sagebrush county throughout the west. Germination is generally highest at temperatures of 15 to 20 c, except in more dormant lots, which show higher percentages of germinatation. Green tea is the best food source of a group called catechins. Sep 09, 20 a final note, which i found rather fascinating.
It received the name brigham tea from the use of the plant for tea by the mormon pioneers. These plants do well in semiarid desert climates and in well drained soil with exposure to sunshine. Mormon teaherbs are a part of the plant world that have been harvested by many cultures for thousands of years. Jan 23, 2014 also known as mormon tea, ephedra is a genus of desert shrubs that produce ephedrine, a stimulant that has been used medicinally but has been banned by the fda for adverse sideeffects the plant itself is not illegal. Ephedra viridis mormon tea mountain states wholesale nursery. Ephedra is a genus of gymnosperm shrubs, the only genus in its family, ephedraceae, and order, ephedrales. Mormon or brigham tea ephedra viridis washington county. Early mormon settlers made tea out of this toxic plant, reportedly, so hence the name. Tea for mormon dummies rational faiths mormon blog. Ephidra has also been used in weight loss drugs and there was some controversy regarding its use in recent years. Brigham young banned the use of caffeine, alcohol and stimulants, but approved drinking mormon tea as a beverage. The microsporophylls are similar to the stamens of the flowering plant. As with any plant, ephedra viridis is known by a variety of common names. The mormon, brigham young is said to have encouraged the mormons to use the tea for certain ailments.
The sierra miwok and owens valley paiute made an aromatic tea from the slender twigs by boiling them. Lady bird johnson wildflower center the university of texas. Common high desert plant in southwest particularly southern california, nevada and arizona. On january 20, 2009, bob montanez wrote the following in a letter to the editor of the ogden standardexaminer. Needs no additional water but requires welldrained soils. The naked seeds are the features, which places ephedra with the classical group, the gymnosperms. Three ephedra species grow wild in colorado and are common in gardens around denver. Ephedra tea can be made from the dried power or fresh leaves and stems of the ephedra sinica plant, mormon tea is made from ephedra nevadensis while t. The twigs, especially those of green mormontea, are used to make a reputedly refreshing tea, although ephedrine, the pharmaceutically active compound found in the old world species e. The dried branches are boiled in water to make the tea. I always thought mormon tea and brigham tea were the same thing. Some dozen or so species occur in the western united states, with three ephedra viridis, ephedra cutleri, ephedra torreyana common in the four corners area. Mormon tea, ephidra viridis, is a wide spread native shrub in the desert southwest.
Unlike these other plants, mormon tea does not contain ephedrine, an unsafe stimulant. Herbs are a part of the plant world that have been harvested by many cultures for thousands of years. Ephedra, genus of 65 species of gymnosperm shrubs of the family ephedraceae. Ephedra antisyphilitica ephedra antisyphilitica berl. Early settlers made tea from the leaves, and natives used the plant medicinally. Brigham mormon tea, extracted in a solvent of distilled water and organic grain alcohol. The twigs, especially those of green mormon tea, are used to make a reputedly refreshing tea, although ephedrine, the pharmaceutically active compound found in the old world species e. Mormon tea should never be confused with the medicinal preparation ephedra ma huang in chinese, prepared from another plant named ephedra sinica. It was used medicinally by the mormons and has adopted the name mormon tea. Ephedra is an evolutionally isolated group and is the only genus in the order ephedrales. Mormon tea, nevada ephedra nevadensis potted plant, organic. Some of these plants have great economic and ecological importance. People of the mormon faith brew a tea from these plants and have.
It is also dioecious with the pollen and the seed cones appearing on separate plants in midtolate spring. This plant is still highly valued as a beverage today. Native americans made flour and a coffeelike beverage from the seeds. The various species of ephedra are widespread in many lands, native to southwestern north america, southern europe, northern africa, southwest and central asia, northern china and western south america. Grows to about 4 feet high, requires full sun and is very heat, drought and cold tolerant. Jointfir, mormon tea, popotillo, popote, clapweed, canatilla. Ephedra the ephedra family, ephedraceae, has but one genus, ephedra. Ephedra nevadensis mormon tea seeds world seed supply. Mormon tea plants native shrubs for the desert southwest. The herbal concoction was primarily used as a decongestant to relieve respiratory ailments such as asthma. Mormon tea etymology edit one of a number of common names based on types of people known to live in the desert, with tea referring to the herbal drink brewed from the plant. With age, mormon tea is able to grow in lime soil and becomes drought resistant. It grows at 9002,300 metres 3,0007,500 ft elevations. I assumed the tea was a combination of herbs growing wild in the salt lake valley.
Ephedras are gymnosperms that are characterized by their greatly reduced, bractlike. One of a number of common names based on types of people known to live in the desert, with tea referring to the herbal drink brewed from the plant. The plants are separately sexed, with females producing small cones. May 12, 2020 mormon tea refers to several plants in the ephedraceae family ephedra torreyana, ephedra viridis, and ephedra navadensis that are commonly found in the american southwest and mexico. Leafless evergreen shrub with bright green wiry stems. Plant database lady bird johnson wildflower center. As a medicine, people take mormon tea for sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea. A field guide to the plants of arizona, anne orth epple, 1995, falcon press. Supplements containing ephedra extracts are a popular herbal stimulant. It derives its name from the mormons, followers of the religious and cultural tradition of mormonism, who drank this tea to attain energy and prevent kidney ailments. Ephedra viridis, known by the common names green mormon tea, green ephedra, and indian tea, is a species of ephedra.
It is the source of ephedrine alkaloids and has an extremely long history of use in china. On apr 26, 2014, palmbob from acton, ca zone 8b wrote. Mormon tea, made from the light green, jointed stems of certain plants from the ephedra genus ephedra nevadensis and ephedra virdis, is a popular choice of herbal tea with numerous health benefits to offer. Stems are finely furrowed and jointed growing in broomlike structures. Probably best to pot up to bigger pots and grow out for a year or two before transplanting to landscape. Mormon tea is a plant used orally to treat syphilis, gonorrhea, colds, kidney disorders, and as a spring tonic, as well as consumed as a beverage.
A beverage brewed from the twiglike stems of the plant is called mormon tea and was used as a folk remedy by indigenous groups and early american settlers. I also believed that brigham young had concocted the recipe and encouraged the early utah settlers to drink it. It is also used for colds, kidney disorders, and as a spring tonic. It is indigenous to the western united states, where it is a member of varied scrub, woodland, desert, and open habitats. Lady bird johnson wildflower center the university of. John torrey, the ephedra torreyanas slender, jointed branches are networked rather than vertical and turn from a dark green in spring to gray in autumn and winter. It is cold hardy to zone 5 and is planted in southwestern states for rangeland restoration and roadside erosionbeautification efforts.
A 6foot tall tea plant will need a 4 to 5gallon pot. Plant prefers full sun and alkaline, dry to mesic soils. Ephedra viridis is the most common ephedra in our area, but any one of the three. Mormon tea is a great plant for the desert southwest xeriscape, requires very little water. All have been used for a variety of medicinal purposes by various peoples over the centuries. The boiled stems have been used to make a tea which can work as a decongestant.
Lady bird johnson wildflower center focused on protecting and preserving north americas native plants through native plant lists and image galleries, conservation, education, natural landscapes, seed collection millennium seed bank msb project, preserving and restoring native communities, spreading awareness on invasive species and gardening to attract wildlife. The genus name, ephedra, is the greek name used by pliny an author and natural philosopher for the common mares tail hippuris which it somewhat resembles. Ephedra nevadensis has pale gray to bluish green stems shooting upwards like modified pine needles. Ephedraceae joint fir article and photos by janice tucker ephedra equisetina bluestem joint fir growth habit early fall photo.
Mormon tea grows plentiful in the western united states, specifically in arizona, new mexico, and utah. These plants do fine on a sunny sill, but theyll never get very big that way, they need to throw their roots deep into a natural substrate in order to make much leaf volume. Mormon tea, nevada ephedra nevadensis potted plant. Also known as mormon tea, ephedra is a genus of desert shrubs that produce ephedrine, a stimulant that has been used medicinally but has been banned by the fda for adverse sideeffects the plant itself is not illegal. When moving an indoor plant outside in summer, gradually increase the amount of sunlight until it can tolerate full sun. Mormon tea is found in areas with about 15 inches of rainfall a year where it grows in sunny sites with deep, welldrained soil. The leafless, bright green jointed stems provide a strong vertical form.
Plants that most people dont realize are psychoactive out. This chapter considers the origin and evolution of the key innovations of seed plants and surveys the diversity of living gymnosperms. The various species of ephedra are widespread in many lands, native to southwestern north america, southern europe, northern africa, southwest and central asia, northern china and western south america in temperate climates, most ephedra species grow on shores or in sandy soils with. There are a number of species of mormon tea ephedra genus growing in the southwestern deserts of the u. The species name, viridis, means green and refers to the plants overall color. It is also known as joint fir, squaw tea, tick tea, desert tea, miners tea, teamsters tea, mexican tea, popotillo. The north american species include plants commonly known as joint firs and mormon tea, including green mormon tea e.
Brigham tea mormon tea ephedra nevadensis power, 16 oz. When moving an indoor plant outside in summer, gradually increase. L48 an upright or spreading shrub found on limestone hillsides, on bluffs, and in gravelly or stony upland soils. Sep 17, 2019 mormon tea is made from a plant, ephedra nevadensis. Allegedly used by mormon pioneers to make a medicinal tea. The tannins in mormon tea have an astringent effect and can reduce body secretions such as mucus. The 7day germination after 2 weeks of chilling at 1 c was over 90% for all seedlots. Indians also ground and ate the seeds, which resemble apple seeds, as food. Ephedra viridis mormon tea mountain states wholesale. A beverage brewed from the twiglike stems of the plant is called mormon tea and was used as a remedy by early american settlers. Mormon tea is made from a plant, ephedra nevadensis.
Some asian species have been used as a source of the stimulant ephedrine, and many are important in herbal medicine. Mormon tea has no ephedrine although you are right in saying that it has been traditionally used for upper respiratory issues. Feb 17, 2016 for example, antioxidants and polyphenols burst through green tea. It is also known as mormon tea for the same reason.
Green ephedra mormon tea is a dioecious, scraggly shrub rarely more than 60 cm to 150 cm high. Mormon tea ephedra mention of our midjune desert road trip on instagram this morning has compelled me to share a little nugget of knowledge that i gleaned on the trip. Jointed branches green to yellowish or grayish green. Mormon tea, jointfir, clapweed, popote ephedraceae mormontea family synonyms. Ephedra tea can be made from the dried power or fresh leaves and stems of the ephedra sinica plant, mormon tea is made from ephedra nevadensis while t herb chart herbal remedies. Be careful not to confuse mormon tea ephedra nevadensis with. The former is a safe medicinal tea while the latter has been banned by the fda for its possible toxic effects. Interesting, peculiar shrubs, ephedras have many jointed, slender green stems about half the size of a pencil and no discernable leaves. Mormon tea a widely used medicinal plant arizona daily. It belongs to the gymnosperms, meaning it is in the same class of plants as pine tree s and other conifers, so the resemblance to pine is more than superficial. Jointfir, mormon tea, popotillo, popote, clapweed, canatilla, erect ephedra ephedra antisyphilitica. The plant in this photo is ephedra i dont know which species as there are several, commonly known as mormon tea. Brigham tea mormon tea ephedra nevadensis found in the american southwest and mexico.