Ephedra Viridis 10/50/100/250/500 Seeds, Green Mormon Tea Indian Brigham Tea Bush Shrub

The Plant Attraction

$4.50 

Ephedra viridis
Also known as: Green Mormon Tea, Brigham Tea

An evergreen perennial leafless shrub growing 3-6ft tall, with numerous yellowish-green branches. Paired, bristle-tipped leaves split and fall off early leaving a leafless, broom-like shrub. Cone-like flowers are light-yellow. Native to dry areas of western North America.

Medicinally its been used by indigenous people for sexually transmitted diseases, colds, kidney disorders, syphilis and other conditions. It is also boiled and used for a tea-like beverage, the stems & fruits can be eaten raw and the seeds can be made into bread or edible mush. Green ephedra is highly toxic to both domestic sheep and cows during gestation, even at low doses. It causes ruminal impaction, diarrhea, vomiting, fecal mucus, anorexia, and in some cases death. It's also grown for ornamental and habitat restoration purposes.

The plant is not self-fertile. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required).
Suitable for: well-drained light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. Probably best to pot up to bigger pots and grow out for a year or two before transplanting to landscape. USDA zone hardiness 6-11.

*Information provided is for educational purposes only and we can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Choose from packs of 10, 50, 100, 250, and 500 seeds.