But did you know, that America has its own indigenous tea?
If you didnt, you are not alone.
Related to yerba mate, Native Americans traditionally brewed this tea for its medicinal purposes.
Photo: Bryon White, Yaupon Brothers
To understand why we need to travel back in time.
Tea has deep roots in the United States, and those roots begin long before the Boston Tea Party.
This tea was used by many native tribes for medicinal purposes, as well as during elaborate ceremonies.
16th-century engraving by Jacques le Moyne of the Black drink ceremony among the Timucua of Florida. (Photo:Jacques le Moynevia Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
People would drink it on a daily basis, but also use it during purification rituals.
By the time the English arrived in the United States, yaupon tea was deeply ingrained in American culture.
And this tea wasnt only sought after by Indigenous peopleit was a hot commodity.
Photo:Herb Roevia Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Early colonists actually exported the tea to Europe, but this quickly changed.
16th-century engraving by Jacques le Moyne of the Black drink ceremony among the Timucua of Florida.
WhileIlexis the genus of the holly plant,vomitoriais exactly what you thinkvomit.
In actuality, there is no evidence that ingesting yaupon makes one vomit.
Scientific research on the plant confirms this.
Still, with the name in place, the damage was done.
And theres reason to believe that the name wasnt a simple error on Aitons part.
Aiton was actually the royal gardener; and as such, he was connected to Britains upper echelon.
So, the British had nothing to gain from its success.
Its possible, but there were many accounts of colonists and British travelers drinkingcassinawithout any ill effects.
And so, this is why you likely have not tried North Americas native tea.
