Making Tea From Native Plants

[Sanders]

Of course these are just a few, mostly East coast/Appalacian woodlands plants. I know of a few plants in the Southwest that make good teas. Pine leaves being a good one, with its high Vitamin C content. Then there are wild rose hips, blackberry, Navajo tea, dandelion, and several others. The article below is just an example of what's out there as shelves in grocery stores clear out.

After the Sons of Liberty dumped thousands of pounds of tea into Boston Harbor in 1773, patriots were faced with a difficult question: just what were they going to put in their teapots now? Since they could no longer in good conscience buy the taxed Bohea tea brought in by the British from China, they maintained that the solution could be found in America’s own native plants.

“If we must, through custom, have some warm tea, once or twice a day,” wrote one Pennsylvania author, “why may we not exchange this slow poison, which not only destroys our constitutions, but endangers our liberty, and drains our country of so many thousands pounds a year, for teas of our own American medicinal plants.”

Soon, several varieties of “Liberty Tea” appeared in teapots throughout the colonies. Many blends featured common kitchen herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary.

Several others, however, came from wild plants used for centuries by American Indians who passed on their knowledge to the colonists.

After independence, many of these plants were no longer cultivated, although they continued to flourish in the wild. Hardy, beautiful and useful, they are worth rediscovering today.

https://prepperswill.com/making-tea-from-native-plants

[baboon]

Yaupon Tea is petty common, yaupon actually has caffine.

[MrKalashnikov]

I've grown sweet mint for years in my yard. It makes a great cup of hot mint tea, and is also good in cold ice tea.

[gunkgy]

I once grew a mint plant in my side yard, by my garage. Dang plant took over the side yard. Neighbors came by and took clippings to start their own.

[baboon]

Originally Posted by gunkgy

I once grew a mint plant in my side yard, by my garage. Dang plant took over the side yard. Neighbors came by and took clippings to start their own.

Mint plants keep lots of insects away, as well as critters.

[MrKalashnikov]

Originally Posted by gunkgy

I once grew a mint plant in my side yard, by my garage. Dang plant took over the side yard. Neighbors came by and took clippings to start their own.

That's why I always grow mine in terra cotta pots. If planted on it's own it becomes a Godzilla in your garden and even yard.

[RetVet]

Mint leaves, Sassafras root, pine needles, strawberry leaves, chicory root, I've made teas with all of them.

[Patriot1965]

mullein makes a great medicinal tea, and you can use the fuzzy soft leaves to wipe your ass, but dont use then after for tea..lmfao...well unless your into that, one nickname for mullein is cowboy toilet paper..you can use the leaves, flowers and roots for lots of medicinal ailments..