The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies catclaw, burro-bush, black grama, bush muhly, and desert needle-grass.
Heart Stimulant (Caution): Members of the ephedra family are known to contain ephedrine, which stimulates the heart and central nervous system. However, Ephedra nevadensis has little to none of the stimulant effects of ephedrine. However, drug potency varies from plant to plant, use it with care and do not use it on people with known arrhythmias or other problems where ephedrine is contraindicated.
Sores and Skin Infections: A poultice made from the powdered stems can be applied to sores for effective treatment.
Warning: Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should never use Mormon Tea.
Harvesting: Harvest the seeds of this plant by hand
Ripe Female cones with seeds. Photo by Le.Loup.Gris, CC by SA 3.0
Edible Use: Both the fruit and seeds are edible. The fruit is sweet with a mild flavor, while the seed has a bitter taste and can be used cooked. It is sometimes roasted and ground to make bread. However, this plant is famous for its tea. Steep the green or dried twigs in boiling water until the tea turns an amber or pink color.
Medicinal Use: Mormon tea foliage is considered toxic but is used for medicinal purposes. It is a blood purifier, diuretic, fever-reducer, poultice, and tonic.
Urogenital Complaints: Use the stems for urogenital complaints including kidney problems, gonorrhea, and syphilis, if caught in its early stages.
Asthma and Respiratory Problems: Mormon tea and other members of the ephedra family are valuable for the treatment of asthma and respiratory system complaints. It does not cure asthma, but it opens the airways and relieves the symptoms of an attack. It is also useful for allergies and hay fever.
from native stands. On good years abundant collections of ephedra seeds can be obtained by flailing the fruiting branches over an open tray. Its stems can be harvested at any time of the year - dry them for future use.
Recipes: Mormon Tea Infusion. Break the stems into small pieces and wash them well. Add them to water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the twigs for 10 to 15 minutes. Once cooled, strain the liquid.
Mormon Tea: To make Mormon Tea, follow the instructions for Mormon Tea Infusion, then dilute the infusion with water until it is the strength you like. I dilute it to the color of tea. You can sweeten it with raw honey, if desired.
Mormon Tea Powder: Dry and powder the branches and twigs of the Mormon Tea Shrub. Moisten the powder to make a paste and use to make a poultice for sores and burns.
more wide. Motherwort leaves vary in size and shape along the stem. They are dark green on top and pale below. Lower leaves are deeply lobed with large teeth and can resemble maple or oak leaves.
Motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca Motherwort is a perennial member of the mint family that is often found at the edges of woodlands and in disturbed soils. It is widely distributed throughout North America and Europe and is sometimes considered invasive.
Identification: Motherwort is an upright bush that can grow to 6 1/2 feet tall (2m) and 3 feet (0.9m) or 112
They can reach five inches long and wide, and are hairy. Moving up the plant, the leaves become smaller with smaller lobes and teeth. At the top of the plant, leaves are usually small, narrow, and unlobed. The stems are square, hairy, and branch only at the upper part of the plant.
