Growing tea or yaupon

[thomas pendrake]

Although China tea (camellia sinensis) will grow in the U.S. (at least where I live) I have never grown it. However there is a native plant called Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) which not only makes a good tea but can also be used as a coffee substitute. I have quite a bit of it growing wild on my property. It is a type of holly and makes a lovely shrub suitable for hedges. The unappetizing name comes from a misunderstanding of the use of the tea by native Americans in religious ceremonies. Brewed strong enough and consumed in sufficient quantity it can be used as an emetic, as can both coffee and China tea. In the past there were significant commercial crops in the U.S., and there seems to be a resurgence.

 

[thomas pendrake]

Here is a photo of Yaupon growing in my yard. It does make a nice "invigorating"tea, and has been studied and used enough to be certain that it is safe to drink,

 

[thomas pendrake]

This might be a different holly, or a variety of dwarf yaupon. It is definitely high in caffeine, and yaupon is supposed to be the only American holly high in xanthines

 

[Beth_B]

Interesting...your photos didn't come through, but I looked it up on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilex_vomitoria

Looks like it won't grow up here. When I was a kid and living in the UK, my mom would have us collect dandelion and nettle leaves, burdock and wild mint, to make tea with. (And nettle tea made a good hair conditioner too!) Lots and lots of wild plants that can be used in cooking, salads and teas and for medicinal purposes. I still remember the book we had back then, Food for Free by Richard Mabey. Why yes, I did grow up as a sort of free range hippie kid.

 

[thomas pendrake]

finally figured out how to upload from new tablet.

 

[Marck]

I would like to try Yaupon Holly tea some day.
Besides Ilex vomitoria, there is at least one other Holly used as a tisane herb: Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis). Yerba Mate is very popular in Argentina, southern and eastern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, where the plant is native. I have tried Yerba Mate and even have some sachets of it in my cupboard now. It has a mild, pleasant taste. I enjoy it on occasion, but it has not replaced my daily affection for Coffee (Coffea arabica) and Black Tea (Camellia sinensis).