Green Mormon Tea Seeds (Ephedra viridis) 20 Seeds

Jointed stems from the American Southwest

Green Mormon Tea (Ephedra viridis, family Ephedraceae) grows wild across the high-elevation arid terrain of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming, and New Mexico, clinging to rocky slopes, gravel terraces, and canyon walls at 800-2500 metres. What makes it immediately recognisable is its structure: instead of conventional leaves, the plant produces rigid, bright yellow-green jointed stems that carry out photosynthesis. Small leaves are present but reduced to tiny scales, leaving only persistent brown bases at each joint. It has a long history of traditional use in the western United States, where the stems have been prepared as a tea.

Growing Green Mormon Tea from seed

Sow seeds no deeper than 5 mm in well-drained soil mixed with sand. The plant needs warmth to germinate and typically sprouts in around two weeks, though germination can be irregular, so don't write off a tray too quickly. Once established, growth is slow and steady. Give plants full sun and make sure drainage is excellent; waterlogged roots are the main thing to avoid. Unlike many shrubs, Ephedra viridis is dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female. Both are needed if seed production is your goal, so growing several plants from this pack of 20 seeds gives you the best chance of ending up with a mixed group.

What the mature plant looks like

At maturity, Green Mormon Tea forms a broomlike evergreen shrub, typically between roughly 0.3 and 1.5 metres tall, with the same distinctive jointed yellow-green stems throughout its life. In spring, male plants produce small pale yellow cones; female plants develop slightly larger cones, each containing two brown triangular seeds around 5-8 mm long. The stems have a light, refreshing character when brewed as a tea, and this traditional preparation is the primary reason growers seek the plant out. It is a genuinely unusual addition to a drought-tolerant or native-plant garden.

Advisory Information

Not suitable for persons under 18. Insufficient data on use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Consult a health professional when using medication, or if suffering from an illness or health complaint.