Mormon Tea. Ephedra viridis, Mormon Tea or Joint Fir Family: ( Ephedraceae ), Mormon Tea. Also Called: Brigham Tea, Joint Fir, Long-leaf Ephedra, Desert Tea, Green Ephedra, Mountain Joint Fir, Indian Tea, Green Mormon Tea, Ephedra nevadensis subvar. pluribracteata, Ephedra nevadensis var. viridis. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. An evergreen erect shrub, or herbaceous perennial shrub. It is slow growing, usually 18 inches to 5 feet tall. Most are about 3 feet tall. They have rigid branchlets, 3.5 mm in diameter, with nodes 1 1/4 to 3 2/3 inches apart with very tiny, opposite leaves at the nodes about 1/8 inch long. E. viridis can be made into a distinctive pleasant tea and used as a beverage. Archeological analysis reveals that about 60,000 years, Neanderthals in Iraq actually used Ephedra viridis as a medicinal plant. The tea has a strong diuretic effect, and was used as a remedy primarily by Native Americans and Spanish speaking peoples of the Southwest. It is said that the memebers of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of latter Day Saints or Mormons; drank this tea a a remedy, as they began to settle into the Southwest United States; thus the name Mormon Tea. Or Brigham Tea, after Brigham Young. It has been feared that Ephedra viridis contains ephedrine, but scientific investigations prove that Ephedra viridis contains pseudoephedrine, but no ephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is said to be harmless. All Ephedras are gymnosperms, that is, they do not have true flowers but instead they produce spores in cone-like structures. They are relatives of the Pines, Junipers, & Spruces. They are cone bearing with separate male plants and female plants. The cones grow in the early spring. Green ephedra is naturally found on sedimentary, volcanic, and metamorphic substrates, in sandy, gravelly, or rocky, well-drained, underdeveloped soils. Green ephedra is naturally found on plains, alluvial fans, mesa tops, washes, and canyon walls. Green ephedra is naturally found in big sagebrushbunchgrass, black sagebrush, blackbrush, desert grassland, pinyon-juniper, mountain mahogany, oak woodland, mountain shrub, mixed conifer, and ponderosa pine communities. It can be sed as an accent or background plant. This is a green accent shrub that contrasts well with other shrubs with lighter foliage. It is drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping. Quick Notes: Height: About 1 1/2 - 5 feet in height. Spreading 3 - 12 feet. Flowers: Flowers and fruit are actually not flowers but green cones that become very brittle and brown when dry. Flowering Time: March - May. Leaves: Barkless stems ranging from gray - blue with spikelike tips (E. torreyana) to bright yellow - green or dark - green (Ephedra viridis). Found: The USDA claims Ephedra viridis is native of the USA (AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, OR, UT, WY). In Arizona it is native to all counties except for Yuma, La Paz, Gila, Pinal, Graham, & Greenlee. It is native to Mexico in Chihuahua. Hardiness: USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F) Soil pH requirements: 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) 8.6 to 9.0 (strongly alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: The USDA claims it is naturally found at 2953 - 9,843 feet. We have personally seen it at about 1,200 feet. Habitat: Sandy, gravelly, or rocky, well-drained, underdeveloped soils. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken March 28, 2006. Glendale, Arizona. An ideal xeriscape landscape plant in Arizona.

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