Mormon tea, Mexican tea
Ephedra nevadensis

Family: Ephedraceae

What it is like

An evergreen shrub. It grows 1 m tall and spreads 1 m wide. The stems are green and leafless. The flowers are small and green. Plants are separately male and female. The fruit are red berries.

There are about 40 Ephedra species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in arid regions.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Britain, Central America, Europe, Mexico, North America, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The green or dried twigs are used to make a tea. The seeds are ground into flour to make a bitter bread.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, stems - tea, roots - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or by division.

Its other names

Local names

Canatillo, Desert tea, Nevada jointfir, Popatillo, Squaw tea

Synonyms

Ephedra antisyphilitica S. Watson;