Ephedra californica

Desert Tea

These 40 species of desert and coastal plants are extremely drought-tolerant. Scraggly and multibranched, their slender green stems are leafless most of the time. Tiny, scaly leaves are dry. Use as a ground cover or in clumps on dry slopes or in large bare areas in full sun and well-drained soil. One type, Ephedra viridis, was used by pioneer Mormons to make tea. Ephedra distachya is the source of a decongestant drug. Its leaves have long been used by the Chinese to make a medicinal tea.

This genus is considered an evolutionary link between flowering plants and conifers. It is native to arid grassland, chaparral, and creosote-bush scrub below 900 meters in elevation. Twigs are yellow-green and age to brown. Best in dry conditions, with sun and good drainage.

Attributes - Ephedra californica

Plant Type: Shrub

Foliage: Evergreen

Height: 3 ft. to 4 ft. 6 in.

Width: 4 ft. 6 in.

Sunlight: Full Sun

Climate: Zones 8, 9, 10, 11

Notes: Thrives in Dry Climates, Hot Climates. Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance.

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