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Yaupon Holly Tea: The Unknown Cousin of Yerba Mate

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How America’s only native caffeinated tea energized the nation until the mid-19th century.

Spreading across American history from Native Americans to colonization to the modern health kicks of today, tea is a unique thread to follow when studying the history of the United States. You may be surprised to hear that tea history in the U.S. does not begin on a boat from Asia, but rather in American soil. To celebrate the 250th year of the U.S. we’re taking a deeper look at this history.

The Only Native American Tea

A 1723 illustration of Native Americans preparing yaupon tea for drinking.

Coming from the leaves of the yaupon holly bush native to the southeast U.S., yaupon is North America’s only known caffeinated plant [1]. First discovered by Native American tribes in the region, yaupon was first consumed in social, ceremonial, and everyday contexts, with exact uses varying between tribes [2]. It was valued for medicinal qualities and the belief it could protect tribe members from illnesses common in the swampy environment [2].


Early American Tea Culture

As European countries began exploring the region, they reported sharing in ‘the black drink’ with Native tribes, effectively introducing yaupon to the rest of the world [3]. Colonists began trading and drinking yaupon daily as it was cheaper and easier to get compared to Asian-imported teas. They even began farming and exporting leaves to Europe [2]. 

East India Company ships exporting their goods, tea included, to European countries.

Yaupon remained popular in the colonies until the mid-19th century, but its popularity died out as Asian-imported teas became more accessible. Yaupon began being viewed as a ‘low status’ drink reserved for those who could not afford Asian-imported teas [1].

Today, drinking yaupon as tea is mostly forgotten. While still grown and sold by some small farms in southern states, the tea is overshadowed by internationally imported teas [3].


Organic Yerba Mate

Fraser Tea founder John Fraser sharing gourds of yerba mate with a Chilean gaucho.

While it is unlikely that yaupon will make a storming return to the market, we can honor its historic legacy and connection to early America through the drinking of its cousin yerba mate. 

Yerba mate and yaupon are both holly plants sharing the same genus (Ilex), making yerba mate one of the closest botanical relatives to yaupon [5]. Yaupon and yerba mate have many similarities: both are caffeinated plants native to the western hemisphere, yaupon in North America and yerba mate in South America, and both were used as teas by Indigenous tribes long before American colonization [4].  

However, unlike yaupon, yerba mate was adopted by Spanish and Jesuit settlers, and it remains an honored social drink today [4].

Yerba mate lives on to represent early American history, honoring both South American tradition and North American legacy. As the 4th of July approaches, let’s honor America by sharing a glass of one of Fraser Teas organic yerba mate blends: Yerba Mate Mint, Super Energized, or Pure Energy.


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