Yaupon Holly Makes a Tea Drunk By Millions, Then We Stopped Using It. Here's Why.

[@theeducatedheathen]

I work as a landscaper it's amazing how many of these I've planted in people's yards and I never knew this about them

[@wpridgen4853]

That's how I felt when I found out too.. The thought of all those leaves that could have been harvested and sold after a quarter century of trimming youpons kinda made me sad ..

[@DES.REVER.DESIGNS]

Maybe mention the berries are deadly to the people you plant these things on

[@cindyrhodes]

IKR!!! My great grandmother 's garden has tons of them, and now I want to try this!

[@sallydinnersready3840]

How work landscaping to man it’s pretty cool isn’t it?

[@brady5125]

This is an incredibly common plant in southeastern pine forests. It can create thickets so dense that it is almost impossible to walk through.

[@__-pl3jg]

I discovered Youpon Holly and American Holly as a teen and used it many times. Regular tea tastes better. I'm sure it's been mentioned before but just in case, make sure you dont eat the red berries. They're full of cyanide. But the leaves are ok. One time I touched the flesh of a Youpon Holly berry to the tip of my tongue. It made my entire mouth itch uncontrollably. I quickly rinsed my mouth with water over and over until the discomfort subsided. Just that tiny amount of cyanide was enough to inflame the tissues of my mouth. If you swallow a whole berry I'd imagine you'll start foaming at the mouth and possibly die in a great deal of physical pain. So yeah, avoid the berries friend 👍.

[@YunxiaoChu]

Source?

[@h4ck7rm4n4]

@@YunxiaoChuit’s not cyanide but there’s widely available info suggesting the berries are poisonous and can cause animals or children to choke

[@e.s.l.1083]

​@@YunxiaoChuseems 'self' sourced - then attempted to immediately 'unsource self source', as it were.

[@kennyharris2407]

​@@e.s.l.1083 What..? He said it was Himself...

[@chuckgoecke]

That immediate itch on your tongue was more likely oxalic acid or calcium oxalate in the berries, additional bad things besides the cynaide. Many plants in the philodendron family have a lot of this, many are house plants. One of them Dieffenbachia, aka dumb cane will paralyze one's mouth, resulting in another common name, Mother-in-law's tongue. Kind mean.

[@Squentinquentin]

North Georgia here and I love the wild youpon trees ! Sorta rare in my area because of development but they still pop up in the wilder areas

[@Squentinquentin]

Excellent video btw !! I should have started with that !! Well done 👍

[@bradpanter6559]

I’m in north GA too. What type of areas do you find youpon trees?

[@NyreeAlana]

Fascinating!!! I'm not American, but I think this project, educating people about valuable plants in nature, is wonderful! ❤👏👏👏

[@barkmaker]

I love it. Grows all over the yard. It's best when lightly roasted before brewing.

[@marucalame]

Does it taste like coffee?

[@barrybri]

@@marucalame Tastes like tea,but the leaves need to be roasted dark like coffee beans to make a decent tea.

[@TaLeng2023]

Do you dry it first before roasting?

[@barrybri]

@@TaLeng2023 No,I cut the green leaves into small pieces and roasted in a small pan over a camp stove.

[@barrybri]

Photo i.imgur.com/mgHQTuk.jpg

[@MarrionThompson]

Yaupon was used by Florida pioneers when coffee wasn't available. The leaves were parched in a skillet, then ground and brewed as coffee. Nasty, but it does the trick. The use by the Southern tribes as a stimulant prior to war yielded excited warriors on a caffeine jag, lending rise to the war title of Hadjo (wild, crazy, or mad). My Muskogee ancestors & the Seminoles used the term as an honorific indicating a person full of zeal.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

no, you're thinking of Kentucky Coffeetree

[@brandysedden2343]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I actually have some on my land in Texas and have tried to sell it locally, but people are afraid of it. It’s really tasty. Perhaps after this video it will catch on!!

[@Chet_Thornbushel]

Bummer that this doesn’t grow where I live (eastern Washington state)! I think the single most devastating thing that has happened to this earth is the idea that we(humans) are somehow not part of nature. So I appreciate you empowering people to converge with the world around them.

[@marcuspinson]

You can grow lions mane mushrooms and certain parts of that region are conducive to American ginseng. You can trade those with someone on the east coast (like me) for yaupon. You mix all those together and the combination of those 3 is almost my entire ideal nootropic stack.

[@Hy-Brasil]

Yep, trade is always cool. They grow like wildfire where i live.

[@ChristopherDwiggins]

​@@marcuspinson keep your sacks to yourself sir!

[@ElizabethRussell144]

If you'd like to try it, you can buy Yerba Mate at the store which is basically the same thing.

[@marcuspinson]

@@ElizabethRussell144 mate is has a slight bitter note. Yaupon is just grassy and clean.

[@ATimeOfHope]

I live in Minnesota and grow it in a container that I bring inside during the winter. I've had it for years and harvest the leaves once a year. And it is quite attractive that way too.

[@dbmail545]

My late mother had me harvest branches. The berries are lovely at a time there is little other color in the woods.

[@PaleoForaging]

It's not the concentration of black drink that caused vomiting. It was voluntary purging to make room for more of the decoction. I suggest you try to drink a decoction of yaupon, a strong as you can manage, and tell me if it makes you vomit. I have tried that on an empty stomach many times, with no urge to vomit. There is so much incorrect information around this, so I was surprised at this conclusion since your video is otherwise pretty well-researched. In Cabeza de Vaca's account of the black drink ceremony in Texas in the 1530's he states that each individual drank 4-5 gallons of black drink per day. That amount is impossible unless one vomits in between. Even a strong decoction of yaupon is relatively weak, and large amounts were necessary to attain stronger effects. Rather than boiling down into a syrup, which your video says was done, to attain a more concentrated form, the foam on top of the boiling decoction was skimmed off (which Dr. Putz briefly mentions). It's like the espresso of yaupon. I have personally tried all of these methods myself, drink yaupon daily, and have been researching American Indian ethnobotany for over a decade as a professional biologist. But a strong liquid decoction was drunk, not any concentrated syrup (although there are many versions of the black drink ceremony and some tribe may have evaporated the drink down to a sludge, it doesn't form a syrup at all). It's true that a ritual or ceremonial purging was a common practice among American Indians, but in the case of when yaupon was used as the purgative, it is mostly a result of the huge volumes that were drunk, not any phytochemical emetic. Sometimes other ingredients were added to black drink in order to actually make the drink emetic. Also, Ilex cassine has trace amounts of caffeine, so Ilex vomitoria is technically not the only caffeinated plant in the U.S. And finally, making yaupon like regular tea is a great way to get no effects and prevent people from continuing to use it. You should directly boil a large amount of the dried / toasted and crushed leaves, strain, and drink it.

[@HereComesWheely]

Came to say a similar thing, I don't believe caffeine is inherently emetic - i couldn't see sources stating it was, maybe he got emetic mixed with dieuretic? I suffer from a condition that causes me to vomit and it's triggered by stuff like lack of food, stress and sleep deprivation, so I'd assume the fasting, sleep and stress were what caused the vomiting (plus drinking a crap tonne on an empty, churning stomach is bound to make you throw up) Muscle dysfunction is one of the early signs of caffeine toxicity - tremors, palpitations/heart irregularities and seizures It's still an interesting historical account regarding the ritual regardless.

[@josephkanowitz6875]

ב''ה, interesting; never got around to yaupon for this reason, and prefer guayusa to the other caffeinated holly as it's less astringent / doesn't form that tarry tannin scum that yerba drinkers get used to and is worse if brewed to coffee strength. As far as stupid but hopefully harmless buzzes, very strong *tea* as used in the concentrate pot for samovars is interesting particularly if you ever get stuck living off coffee for years. It's not too harsh but provides a decent slug of caffeine and theanine all at once while being palatable with sugar espresso-style. Maybe not an every day thing, but if the yaupon is mild in caffeine, it might be somewhat equivalent to the historical effect but without needing as massive quantities of liquid, and with the theanine effect. So for anyone interested in recreating that without going too 'balls to the wall,' that's a fairly pleasant and hopefully harmless way to pull an all-nighter without worse than what you'd get from a few espresso shots. Weirdly I have fewer tongue sensitivities since going from lots of tea to almost entirely lots of coffee, though. G-d knows but perhaps all the tannins in tea really are questionable for tongue health? While swigging instant coffee all day is an acquired taste, surely gives coffee breath and requires chasing it with plenty of water to avoid caffeine dehydration.. but no more random tongue bumps/random irritated tastebuds as I used to get in my 'tons of tea' days.

[@dwaynestomp5462]

I'm in N Texas, and there's yaupon growing everywhere here. Is that the same plant as yaupon holly? In the Spring, they smell wonderful and have small white flowers.

[@PaleoForaging]

@@dwaynestomp5462 Ilex vomitoria is only found wild in northeast Texas. Ilex decidua / possumhaw has a slightly larger range, and appears very similar, but its leaves have a tapered leaf base compared to the ovate leaves of yaupon, and possumhaw leaves are thinner compared to the thick leaves of yaupon. Yaupon, as far as I know, is the only plant called such, and is Ilex vomitoria. Small white flowers and red berries are found in both of the above species. Yaupon is also a common ornamental species, so may be found further west than the wild range, which ends in Tarrant Co. in N Texas.

[@pigeon4x250]

I really appreciate you making this video. I've been aware of Yaupon Holly for a while, but I've still yet to try it. I'd love to know more about it's ceremonial use, but I did want to share: Yaupon Holly is everywhere in my area. It's very commonly used as landscaping, and it's really funny to me that the largest concentration I'm aware of is planted all around a local coffee shop. It feels almost like the plant is rebelling or trying to send a message to those of us that know.

[@MarrionThompson]

The black drink ceremony was presided over by a man with the title of Asi Yaholo, a title like "Cantor". Asi was the name of the drink, made from Asi Liputschi (Little leaves), the name for Yaupon. The title of Asi Yaholo was butchered by the whites as Osceola. He was the singer (cantor) for the Black Drink ceremony.

[@ALehrer-s8f]

i love the yaupon tree. it has historical significance here in NC with ancestral peoples as well. it is a beautiful, fierce grower- ours here have smooth bark-

[@MatsukawaZaraki]

This is a great video! I have 10 acres in Florida and I'm starting a natives and edibles nursery as well as covering the property in a food forest. I have this stuff growing wild as well here and it really does grow "everywhere" hahaha. The awesome thing is, we also have tons of other native edibles on property from pawpaws, maypop passion fruit, dewberries, prickly pear, beautyberry, muscadine grapes, and the list literally goes on! I just found your channel and subscribed, and looking forward to checking out more of your content! 🥳

[@donnydavinci1772]

Going to harvest and make a pot right now. I had no idea this stuff was useful! I spend weeks every year fighting it all back. I'm happy to live in balance rather than conflict with my environment - thank you!

[@UntamedScience]

YES!!! (and remember not to mix the berries in)

[@milohobo9186]

I *have* heard of it before. I have considered planting some (since my region has it native) and I don't want to go without caffeine after a natural disaster. I have considered coming up with a mixture of this tea and acorn coffee (for that coffee taste) as a nifty brew.

[@patrickfogg460]

I have 2 large yaupon holly trees at each of the front corners of my house. I knew they could be made into a caffeinated tea but did not know about the other alkaloids in them with health benefits. Thank you for the video.

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

American black cherry tree should try them out the bark and the seeds they have beautiful wood we do that for lumber.

[@notashroom]

I've been meaning to check my yard and neighborhood for yaupon hollies and a few other plants, and this gives me more motivation to do it. I only knew of it as a multipurpose ceremonial drink after boiling down and had no idea of all the health benefits. So thanks.

[@larryrockett8707]

Also dandelion root makes good coffee

[@WilliamHollinger2019]

I tried to tell others about them.

[@roxannerodriguez7075]

I love dandelion root tea! With honey and a splash of milk or cream! It is literally so delicious. My doc told me not to drink it too often though. I can't remember why though?

[@billiegoat4240]

Dandelion root is a great non caffeinated coffee replacer. It's also a bitter which signals bile production in the liver and drinking too much (like cups and cups a day) could have negative effects on your tummy!

[@ElizabethRussell144]

But it doesn't have Theobromine which is euphoric : ) You can buy yerba mate at the store which is basically the same thing.

[@williammorgan7769]

Makes your penis shrink.

[@dontcarejustwatchvid]

We have a few companies (like Yaupon Bros) in Florida growing the holly for tea. It's a wonderful product!

[@ElizabethRussell144]

If gou want to try it for a lot cheaper price go online and order a pound of loose leaf Yerba Mate. They are basically the same thing but Mate is waaayyy cheaper

[@servnava6601]

Waay ahead of you. For some reason when my house was built they threw in a bunch of japanese boxelder so I ripped those right out and replaced with yaupon

[@carolinagaray7656]

Did you mean Japanese boxwood? Box Elder trees are native to North America

[@purdunetae2995]

You didn't specifically say, but looks like the Holly likes to grow under trees. This might be a great item to plant where you have harvesting trees. Nut, fruit, and lumber trees. Would add some diversity to your wallet and the land. Just a thought.

[@TimDrake-vn3wo]

I think he mentioned it growing in the understory of the forest , which means 2nd layer under the main crown of trees . Rubber trees and banana like the shade too .

[@TakingBack40]

We have tons of Yaupon holly across our property in Alabama. One of the plants we're encouraging as part of our food forest.

[@stonetacular5651]

Just transplanted two of these into my yard - very excited to be raising them

[@e.mjohnson9675]

I've seen this all over the woods all my life and never knew. I'm moving back to the woods asap

[@RaveBearbear]

I live in Alabama. We planted it on our property. We use it twice a month

[@patricioiasielski8816]

Numerous Ilex species are "caffeinated"; Ilex paraguariensis is used for the traditional beverage "mate" here in Argentina (and Uruguay, Paraguay and Brasil). Would love to taste a Mate out of that Ilex species!

[@dbmail545]

I've only had Yerba Mate once but the flavor was very similar to yaupon tea.

[@roxiegs348]

I’m from Texas and they are everywhere! I live in California now and can’t say I have seen any growing naturally/wildly here. I would’ve loved to have known about this before I moved. Maybe I can grow some here. I will look into it. Thanks for this info.

[@ElizabethRussell144]

Look for a lb. of loose leaf Yerba Mate online. It's basically the same plant from south of the border and it's amazing : )

[@chuckgoecke]

Yaupon's should do great in California, climate wise, although they like hot summers, ie inland from the coasts. They need pretty wet soil at least part of the year and getting established, but well established big trees are drought tolerant.

[@KillerNetDog]

Here in central Texas you can't get rid of this stuff, it takes over everything.

[@TexasRiverRat31254]

Thank you! Where I live in east Texas it's so prolific that people around here consider it a problem. Rip it up and plant grass that they have to mow.

[@jons2447]

Hello, Mr. Nelson; AMAZING! video, I *really* appreciate this. I live in southeast Georgia, 43 miles north of Florida so right in the yaupon range. Here's my problem. I went outside & collected ~1/4 cup of leaves to make tea. Now, I've known what yaupon is for years. I'm 69 & I learned about yaupon maybe 40 yrs ago. Then I realized that my yaupon leaves don't look like your yaupon leaves. My leaves are smooth-edged, slimmer than yours, slightly curved & narrow. They measure (averages) 15mm to 25mm long & 2mm to 5mm wide. I want to email some photos w/ your permission. I posted here first so that others may be aware of this, to prevent misidentification. If allowed, I'll send photos of the trees across the lane, near & far, & leaf/branch closeups. Thank you in advance for your kind assistance. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!

[@benmcreynolds8581]

I've really enjoyed this entire video project. I hope we keep seeing this stuff expand. I'm sure there's a handful of "Factually proven" Medicinal and Therapeutic remedies. Hopefully we will rediscover things we once knew OR hopefully we will full on Discover Brand New remedies. I really appreciate what you're doing. It's refreshing to have a source such as you in a field such a this. I say that because sadly a lot of misinformation has worked it's way into stuff such as this. So what your doing is extremely refreshing

[@Bob_Adkins]

The berries (non-edible) are gorgeous. Their color and shine are like nothing else in nature. At times, they glow so brightly and colorfully they appear to have tiny lights inside of them.

[@ElizabethRussell144]

It's close cousin (pretty much the same thing) is Yerba Mate from South America I've been drinking it daily for 30 years and I know it's kept me looking and feeling younger than if I'd been drinking coffee. I also love Mate more than green or black tea because unlike those the Theobromine in Yerba Mate is euphoric : )

[@UntamedScience]

YEP! Well stated.

[@theangrypainter826]

Always informative videos. I will always want to try the natural things you talk about. And have never felt as if your videos were adds. Ty for your work bringing us helpful information.

[@johannsgarden2020]

I'm a couple years in to growing yaupon in Western Washington. So far it's proving quite happy with the climate here, though it doesn't appear to be very fast growing so patience is required.

[@AmerikiDork]

I live in coastal Carolina and I am just learning about this. I must try it soon!

[@douglasmcneil8413]

You really should point out that the berries are toxic, and you should take precautions to insure that your kids and pets don't eat them.

[@dbmail545]

There is an outfit in Texas that is cultivating Yaupon for tea. A lot easier to use than harvesting and processing my own.

[@TheBearEssentials]

Man this is such a great video. Thank you!

[@lokomoto989]

Od preko 100 kanala koje pratim tvoj kanal redovno pogledam. Teme su odlicne kao i uvijek.

[@joanhuffman2166]

I read that it was once called cassina and was widely used during the Civil War. The association with hard times probably didn't help its popularity.

[@UntamedScience]

Very true!

[@rulistening7777]

Just purchased seeds. I will try growing as a house plant here in Oregon. Outdoors in summer. Taking it indoors in winter. Edit: I wish I had read the comments first. It is very important to mention THE DEADLY RED BERRIES !

[@gypsyninjette4734]

I didn’t know about this plant! I’m gonna try! Idk about putting it in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes tho. I feel like that is alittle hot!

[@andypanda4927]

Looks much like laurel except for red berry & serations on leaf edge. Don't recall seeing this local here east-central Alabama. May have walked past in areas of central Georgia I no longer have permission to hunt on as the soils are different. Besides, all gimped up & hiking/hunting no longer enjoyable pastimes. Interesting! Wouldn't mind trying some.

[@Lostpinesyaupontea_drinkme]

Awesome video. Thank you for spreading the good word!

[@mrjgilbert]

Great video! I’m not sure it would survive in Kansas City, Missouri, but now I want to try to grow it. Or convince my sister to grow some for me in her warmer climate.

[@ElizabethRussell144]

Order a lb. of loose leaf Yerba Mate online. It's the same plant from south of the border : )

[@CarlAyers-x8h]

I've gotten drunk before. But never have I seen a tea get drunk.

[@andrewspringer3565]

Have tons of this stuff on my property. Time to make some tea.

[@ashmouse]

In Africa, people associate vegetables with poverty, which is really sad. So I can associate with the poverty related mindset you refer to. Great work as always!

[@ciscoterres717]

a house a few houses down has a bunch of yaupons in the front by the sidewalk. I’ll be walking by there tomorrow and (discretely ) getting a handful of leaves. 😎

[@dimfuturefilms9070]

Thank you for making this video, I tried finding more information on the black drink ceremony several years ago when I stumbled upon the information, I couldn’t find any videos such as yours going into depth and history, and even bringing an expert on the subject. I eagerly wanted to try yaupon tea but was unsure if it was safe to drink since the only info I could find was it’s “negative” aspects of making you vomit. Now I can try it without worry, thank you.

[@ElizabethRussell144]

If you can't find any, find some Yerba Mate at the store. It's basically the same thing and it's wonderful!

[@MrDantheNobody]

I like yaupon because it doesn’t make me suddenly have to poop like coffee, and I can’t drink “regular” tea on an empty stomach without feeling nauseous. Also, the yaupon tea tastes much better if you first ferment the leaves much in the same way that camellia sinensis is traditionally prepared (enzymatic fermentation). It makes the taste much more complex and enjoyable.

[@beareid6053]

I live in Michigan. No hope of finding this nearby. I wonder if it would be happy in a big pot that I could bring in during the winter?

[@TheSouthIsHot]

I must try this Yaupon Holly of which you speak! I have never heard of this but I do live in the southeast. Time to go foraging...🔎🌿

[@chuckgoecke]

I was getting this American tea company selling yaupon tea in the spam ads I'd get on KZbin and FB videos. They'll probably find you for watching this :/.

[@TheSouthIsHot]

@@chuckgoecke So far I'm safe.😊

[@lexheath8276]

Love it. Had it during the early '80's. Florida panhandle.

[@BenjaminSpencer-m1k]

I still have a ritual as to were I try to puke everything up.once a month and refresh the lining of my stomach. Also take a bunch of prunes and just get everything out.

[@barrettabney]

I wonder if I can plant this in SW Florida. I noticed your map showed it in central Florida.

[@MchaelTeeter]

Very good and informative video.

[@jessicacarter1714]

❤❤❤❤THANKYOU SOOOOOO VERY MUCH❤❤❤❤❤I CANT WAIT❤❤❤❤

[@shannon6876]

Naturally, I live only tens of miles South of where these grow in my state. Maybe I'll have to take a little road trip.

[@choccolocco]

The native Americans in Moundville, Alabama used this as well.

[@jacoblamarre2521]

I love how Ecopunk this is

[@patrickday4206]

It is north Americas version of guayusa also holly

[@cinemaipswich4636]

All the first nations of the world have their own Pharmacopoeia as natural remedies. They are not cures for cancer or trauma, but they can be beneficial for some ailments, and some were used for cultural ceremonies, and traditional rights of passage.

[@DawnDBoyerPhD]

I researched history and found out about yaupon - tried the tea - delicious!!

[@STho205]

I make Youpon tea, sassafras root "beers", dandelion tea and other yard teas for occasional personal consumption... However our Youpon trees/bushes could not support my wife's black tea habit...and that's in a 1.5 acre forest atop a small mountain where we live.

[@UntamedScience]

Awesome!!!

[@JFSmith-nb8hf]

I'm in northern Arizona, doubt if there's any of that stuff around here.

[@peacefulscrimp5183]

Great video 👍 I been trying to get all the phytic acid out of my diet but I love coffee. Problem solved. You have a new subscriber 👌

[@orbnitsky]

So THAT's why the whitetail deer are so jumpy!

[@jackgilchrist]

I can drink coffee all day and I'm fine. I can drink a cup of tea on occasion, or a cola, no problem. In the past I even popped No-Doz on occasion and didn't have a problem. Even when I overdo it I just get a little jittery, no big deal. But when I tried guarana in a small amount (less caffeine than a cup of coffee), it gave me palpatations and very unpleasant dysphoria, restlessness, etc.. And at that time I was drinking 6 or 8 cups of strong coffee every day, so I definitely wasn't caffeine intolerant. Must be something about the different chemical composition that didn't agree with me. So naturally I am wary of alternative caffeine sources. Interesting information though.

[@craigescapeddetroit5198]

I researched and searched multiple places and found that nobody can scientifically verify any kind of toxicity about the berries. All the "talk" about toxic berries is only RUMORS and "he said she said" crap.

[@chuckgoecke]

Yaupon berries are not immediately relished by birds, perhaps partially due to being less palatable in the fall, although also maybe there are just so many other things to eat that taste better. But in mid winter, weeks after lots of cold and freezing weather have made the yaupon berries ferment, at least wax wing birds love them, hungry and wintering down from the north, gorging on them, and then get all drunk and silly acting. It's pretty funny in late winter. Until they crap all over your car.

[@johnnyhancock9027]

Does the tip of the leaves have those Needles on the tips of the leaves?

[@dbmail545]

Not this holly. Serrated but not spikey.

[@patrickday4206]

Guayusa caffeine compound is long acting they call it the night watchmans tea. I'm guessing that this is similar no jitters unless massive quantities don't drink it late afternoon because it lasts 10 or 13 hours versus about 4 for coffee

[@bonniehyden962]

Yaupon is invasive here in Deep East Texas. ...understory plant? Lord have mercy! There are places where the tickets of Yaupon have tickets of yaupon! I've seen it take over places we used to ride horses in the woods. You won't ride anything except maybe a dozen through there now because of yaupon. I let one grow in my yard once; pruned it as a shrub. Then I thought to experiment with making it a large, yard bonsai. The bush was approximately 6' high before I cut it back. ...I dug 4' down and the tap root was still half again larger in diameter than the trunk. ...I had my husband cut the tap root with a chainsaw. Which did not kill it. I'm not sure one can kill yaupon. But I'm gonna try the tea. I've heard about this for several years. Just never tried it. Is there a good, better or best season for pucking leaves?

[@starmhz1]

I'm from Houston. I heard that people in the civil war here could not get coffee because of the Union blockade. So they use yaupon Holly to make a caffeinated drink. I tried it and it's not too bad. Like anything else that takes some getting used to.

[@nickmclaughlin1395]

Who sings the songs about the plants and mushrooms in your videos?

[@bongmuon]

AI

[@anggrimunki]

Making me wonder how to get these plants, mushies, and products available in australia. I need an investor lol.

[@dbmail545]

Please don't introduce any more invasive species to Australia. I would have thought you would have learned from the rabbits.

[@LaneyandherGermanShepherds]

Thanks ❤

[@echomors9923]

did someone make that song specifically for this video or did someone just make a song about this plant of all plants randomly because they could

[@Fayanora]

It's not the only caffeinated plant in the Americas. Chocolate contains caffeine as well. Not a lot, but it's there.

[@franklinlunsford]

The video said that it's the only native caffeinated plant in NORTH America.

[@joanhuffman2166]

I've tried it. The caffeine is rougher than coffee if I may put it that way. As coffee's caffeine kick is rougher than tea, yaupon is rougher than coffee. Two cups gave me palpitations. The one I tried had little taste or fragrance. The leaves were tiny in comparison to what you showed in your video.

[@UntamedScience]

Interesting. I wonder if there are differences in relation to where you got it. Did you harvest your own or use a particular brand? I found it to be pretty much the same as green tea, but a tad sweeter (no need for sugar).

[@joanhuffman2166]

@UntamedScience I ordered it from Amazon, and I don't remember the brand. The leaves were 4-5 mm long, really tiny. It wasn't sweet.

[@mikehunt9392]

How about Mormon tea I don’t think it’s caffeine. I actually think it’s a type of amphetamine, but what are the benefits of that?

[@patrickday4206]

Ephedra actually

[@ElizabethRussell144]

​@@patrickday4206 Completely different plant : ) It doesn't have the same uses or benefits. If you want to try Yaupon but can't find any near you then find some Yerba Mate at the store or online. It's basically the same thing as Yaupon and they both give you a euphoric feeling (that black and green tea cannot give you) without any jitters or side effects. The caffiene in Yaupon and Yerba Mate (which is basically the same thing) is completely different and doesn't give you the jitters like coffee which is why I switched over to Yerba Mate 30 years ago. There's been scientific articles written about why Yerba Mate (Yaupon) does not have the same side effects as coffee.

[@PeterCombs]

How does it taste?? You talked about everything else, but the MOST important part, it's Flavor...is it tart, sweet, sour, ?

[@dbmail545]

It tastes "green" is the best way I can describe it. A lot like sun-brewed green tea.

[@rcraig9655]

So where was the part that you explain why you stopped using it?

[@TaLeng2023]

I don't think we have these in my country. At least we can grow robusta coffee and cacao. I just need space I don't have. ☣️

[@MrTatts64]

These people who are affraid / wary of "touching" nature, seem to forget that we, ourse;ves as humans, are created by and a part of nature itself.

[@tracymarie4633]

I watched 2 times. Where is the ANSWER to "Why we stopped using it?"

[@johnoliver1145]

I have never in my life ever heard of Yaupon being a "cultivated" plant. This has to be one of the worst plants in East Texas, it takes over everything. I understand it has some good uses, but it is everywhere.

[@JoeMushrumski]

Hmm, learned something new and something new to try.

[@streamdungeon5166]

I will stick with coffee. If you also take Berberine, there is less rush and sustained energy from the coffee. No crash. Unless you ruin your coffee with something as disgusting as sugar or toxic creamer of course. Milk is fine.

[@JPizzle4Shizzle85]

I do not like that app tells you where it’s been spotted. While it’s great for those who move with respect, unfortunately many are not respectful.

[@naturewithandy7204]

I’ve been using youpon for awhile it’s abundant in this area of Texas I’ve been trying to educate people here about it since it seems like most people here hate this pant😢

[@brannonlittle718]

Loved the video bro, you got a subscriber with this one!

[@TheGaffanon]

It’s available commercially.ready to brew. Been drinking it for years. No I grow my own as well.

[@mohicanpreservationarboret1024]

I love that song. Where can I get it?

[@dorothymccomb2244]

But what does it TASTE like????

[@deth_bang3355]

Bad, but it’s just a shot!

[@JonMWooley]

I think it tastes pretty good. Has a pine-like flavor.

[@dbmail545]

Pretty much like an herb tea. I need to try it as a sun-brewed tea.

[@mut8inG]

Thank you