Mormon tea, Green joint-fir, Green ephedra
Ephedra viridis
Family: Ephedraceae
What it is like
An erect evergreen shrub. It grows 1.2 m high and spreads 90 cm wide. The branches are thin and green. The leaves are long and narrow. The plants have separate male and female flower-like cones.
There are about 40 Ephedra species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It does well in sandy soil and a sunny position. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.
Countries/locations it is found in
America, Australia, Mexico, North America, Tasmania, USA
How it is used for food
The twigs are broken into small pieces and used to make tea. Sugar, lemon juice or strawberry jam can be added. Roasting the twigs helps improve the flavour. The seeds are roasted and eaten or ground into flour.
Edible parts
Fruit, seeds, stems - tea, caution
How it is grown
It can be grown from seed, or by division of the plant.