Oswego Tea?

[coloradoclyde]

Wild bergamot, Bee balm, etc.....
Was used a substitute tea following the Boston Tea party...

I found some growing wild near me....guess I'll have to make a cup.

Anyone else ever drink it?

 

[coloradoclyde]

Well!...I tried it.


Taste better than most native plant teas.

Might make a nice, iced tea. :hmm:

I think I will be adding it to my landscape...

 

[tenngun]

I never had it, in fact have not heard of it. Would enjoy trying it. We had Morman Tea growing wild in New Mexico. I don't know the proper name. I can find it in the four corner steppes, just never got a taste for it.

 

[coloradoclyde]

That's Ephedra.. :shocked2:
I remember years ago my brother had some Chinese Mahuang. He took it for his asthma....but it made him to jittery.....I never tried it.

 

[satx78247]

Tell us more.
(I've not heard of it either.)

yours, satx

 

[coloradoclyde]

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MOFI

 

[tenngun]

Thats Morman tea, I just never found it tasty. Fact is many herbal teas just don't do it for me.

 

[satx78247]

THANKS.

yours, satx

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well!...I tried it.
Taste better than most native plant teas.

I like tea from the hemlock tree needles. Now before folks misunderstand, the hemlock evergreen tree is not the same as hemlock-herb that was boiled in water and given to Socrates, who then said, "I drank what?" :shocked2:

Hemlock evergreen tree tea has a lot of vitamin C, and is good with a little sugar.

LD

 

[Nativearizonan]

I've collected and used a lot of Monarda fistulosa, or Wild Bergamot. It grows all over the west, and is common in the mountains of AZ, but generally only in fairly damp creek bottoms and such over 6,000ft. elev.

Another common name for it is Mountain Oregano, and I have used it in place of oregano for seasoning stews, spaghetti sauce and the like. It is plenty good for a free herb to spice up the food. I don't care all that much for the tea made from it. I prefer various wild mints, which are also common.

 

[Nativearizonan]

Mormon tea is various species of plants of the Ephedra genus. I know of three species in the Western US, but they all look very similar and are all known as Mormon Tea. The species in Asia, from which the herb Ephedra that you might have found in a store several years ago before it was banned, has a stronger amphetamine in it than the North American species do. The Asian version can cause a lot of the same problems as amphetamine addiction, but the North Amercan "Mormon Tea" is much milder. It does have an uplifting affect similar to coffee or tea, though, just not as strong. It has a definite different chemical composition.

I've read that Mormon Tea was used to fight syphilis, and was served to guests in the houses of ill repute. Another common name you will find it sold under is "Brigham Tea", I guess because some one doesn't like to use the word "Mormon" with it.