Sea grape, European shrubby horsetail, European joint pine, Ma huang
Ephedra distachya
Family: Ephedraceae
What it is like
A low, creeping evergreen shrub. It grows about 1 m high. It spreads 90 cm wide. The branches are slender and erect. The leaves are like scales. The fruit is oval and succulent. It is pale or bright red when ripe. Fruit are 6-7 mm across.
There are about 40 Ephedra species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in rocky places, sandy shores and stream banks in Mediterranean countries. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Britain, China, Europe, Japan, Mediterranean, Portugal, Russia, Siberia, Spain, Yugoslavia
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten fresh. Caution: The stems contain ephedrine which can be addictive.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants can be grown by seed or by division.