Mormon Tea: American Ephedra (Ephedra Spp.)

Mormon Tea AKA American Ephedra is a desert shrub commonly used to make a pleasant and mild tea. Read on to learn more about it’s habitat, history, uses and legality!

A close up Mormon Tea in the high desert.

In the high desert - where I currently live - Mormon Tea (Ephedra spp.) is pretty common. It is blue-green shrub that seems to always look the same amongst the changing but muted wilderness.

Where is is found, Mormon Tea has been used for thousands of years by Indigenous people. It also has some interesting modern history as pioneers traveled West.

Just don't confuse it with its Chinese counterpart, Ma Huang (Ephedra sinica), a much stronger medicine.

Mormon Tea Names, Habitat & Identification

Common Names

There are many varieties of American Ephedra but the most well known and widespread in the West are Ephedra viridis and Ephedra nevadensis. People often use "Mormon Tea" interchangeably for these two species. Other names include:

Tloh Aziihii
Desert Tea
Cowboy Tea
American Ephedra
Joint Fir
Brigham Tea

Where it Grows

Mormon Tea (Ephedra ssp.) is a hardy evergreen shrub that can thrive in pretty tough terrain.

You will see it growing across the arid landscapes of the American West. This includes parts of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, and California. You’ll often spot it in pinyon-juniper woodlands, high desert areas, and on rocky, sandy, and dry slopes.

Identification

Look for the tufts of thin green sticks poking up from the ground around 2-4 feet tall. Their stems are jointed together almost looking like a miniature version of bamboo.

in the spring you may notice cute little pollen covered cones on the male plants and seed bearing cones on the female plants.

A close up of male cones on mormon tea. — Joe Decruyenaere, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A close up of mormon tea female cones. — Jim Morefield from Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

History, Traditional and Modern Use

American Ephedra has been used for millennia by native people in the American West as a medicine. Known for its use in addressing urinary and breathing difficulties, as well as occasional digestive distress. It can also be used as a yellow dye.

Pioneer Use and the Origin of the Name “Mormon Tea”

Where did the common name ‘mormon tea’ come from? It originates from the 19th-century LDS (Latter-day Saint AKA Mormon) pioneers who settled in the American West.

In keeping with their religious prohibition on 'hot drinks'—a term interpreted to mean coffee and tea—they brewed a caffeine-free infusion from American species of Ephedra as an alternative. As a result, the name ‘mormon tea’ has stuck since.

During this time in the West, is was also said to treat venereal diseases, and served in brothels, though the efficacy of this was questioned then and now.

Modern Herbal Uses

Mormon Tea continues to be used by Indigenous communities across the American Southwest, who have long understood its benefits as a traditional medicine. It is prepared often as a tea—for its energizing and diuretic properties, as well as for respiratory support.

The respected late herbalist Michael Moore echos these traditional uses in his book, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West. He noted Mormon Tea offers:

a subdued stimulant effect
mild relief from allergies
a pronounced diuretic

Mormon tea is also high in calcium, and tannins but lacking any significant amounts of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine (more on that later).

Foraging Tips

Foraging Mormon Tea is easy and can be done year-round.

Use scissors to cut a few branches that join the long green stems and place in your basket, or a canvas or paper bag. A little will go a long way.
You can make tea with a small handful of the fresh stems.
I suggest air drying until you are able to snap the stems with your hands for longer storage.

I’ll be sharing a separate post on how to brew Mormon Tea for best flavor and benefit!

Legality, Relation to Ma Haung, and the FDA Ban

American Ephedra and Legal Status

Mormon Tea, made from American ephedra species, is completely legal and far less potent than the now-banned Chinese variety, Ma Huang. It doesn't have the same strong stimulant effects as Ma Huang.

A 2001 study found that the North and South American species of Ephedra do not produce ephedrine and contain little to no pseudoephedrine.

Although this is the case, it is still important to note some of the history of the Chinese species in the United States to give context on the concerns today.

The FDA Ban on Ephedrine Supplements

Beginning in the early 1900s, supplements containing the alkaloid ephedrine, sourced from the Chinese variety, Ma Huang (Ephedra S.), were available over the counter to treat asthma and respiratory issues.

Vintage Bottles of Ephedrine — Vintage bottles of ephedrine from Ma Haung (Ephedra sinica)

Around the 1990s shady companies started to market the isolated and concentrated ephedrine as a quick fix for weight loss, enhanced athletic performance, and an herbal stimulant, often combining it with caffeine for stronger effects. Unfortunately, this led to serious cardiovascular issues, some being fatal.

Due to the blatant disrespect for an herb that has a long history of careful preparation, the FDA banned all over the counter supplements containing ephedrine in 2004, following controversy of at least 100 deaths, some being high profile.