# Should I try drinking Yaupon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [August 2, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631 "2025-08-02T20:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2025, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/1 "2025-08-02T20:52:17Z")
I’d never heard of this drink before now, but tariffs may make coffee more expensive. Should I give it a shot? What’s the taste? > **[Coffee, tea or … yaupon? Will Trump’s tariffs force Americans back to their...](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/jul/15/yaupon-trump-tariffs-tea)** > > North America’s only native caffeinated plant was big among beverages in the 18th century. Is Ilex vomitoria about to make a comeback? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/2 "2025-08-02T21:00:14Z")
Skimming the article, briefly. I’d say, the name does “sound sick”. Off the top of my head, I say Nope. But I guess if you’re real adventurous, do it! Be sure to let us know. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/3 "2025-08-02T21:05:09Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I’d never heard of this drink before now, but tariffs may make coffee more expensive. Should I give it a shot? What’s the taste? Why would you drink this stuff rather than coffee? And why do you drink coffee? If your goal is simply to consume caffeine, why not just buy generic caffeine pills? But if you enjoy coffee, it’s very possible that you will be disappointed at the difference. But the best way to know is to try the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/4 "2025-08-02T21:12:24Z")
Hell, tariffs might make Yaupon harder to get. They don’t grow it in large plantations in the south, that I’ve heard of. And do we know of any producers, of what I’ve seen described as a tea, inside the US? Brief look on Amazon says it’s available. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/5 "2025-08-02T23:49:49Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Hell, tariffs might make Yaupon harder to get. They don’t grow it in large plantations in the south, that I’ve heard of. > > And do we know of any producers, of what I’ve seen described as a tea, inside the US? It’s apparently grown in Florida and Texas. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/6 "2025-08-03T00:32:33Z")
It’s more like tea than coffee, but it is very pleasant and even makes a good iced tea. I tend to drink it more in the winter months, but I really enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/7 "2025-08-03T01:40:00Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > It’s apparently grown in Florida and Texas. Well, there’s a reason (possibly not a _just_ one, but a reason) NOT to try it. 😈 But a slightly more fair basis, if our OP wants to try it, I see little harm in finding if it’s a good match for them. I’m an agnostic caffeine fiend through upbringing. My father and step-mother always drink tea (sun or brewed) and my mother and step-father always drank coffee. And as a kid of course, I always just wanted soda. But I drink both hot and cold versions of the two main morning drinks. I do miss the glorious days when I could get caffeinated hot chocolate without having to order it online… that was dangerously awesome. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If your goal is simply to consume caffeine, why not just buy generic caffeine pills? This is a fair point, and I bet you are _also_ right about the OP generally liking the beverage, but if it does turn out to be be the fact I’d caution the OP and anyone thinking along these lines to _read the label carefully_. As seen in the recent past with Panera’s offerings, artificially enhanced caffeine products can lead to a much higher dosing than you were aware of. Often moving straight into dangerous territory with far fewer drinks than you’d expect, when based on “as strong as XYZ cups of coffee” descriptions. Especially if you buy bulk caffeine powder to make your own infused drinks/foods. Just a PSA for anyone following along from the interwebs. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/8 "2025-08-04T16:38:04Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > My father and step-mother always drink tea (sun or brewed) TIL - am I the only one who had never heard of Sun tea? Ignorance fought. For anyone sharing my ignorance > **[Iced tea | Sun and refrigerator tea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iced_tea#Sun_and_refrigerator_tea)** j ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/9 "2025-08-04T17:07:20Z")
That’s my fault for the assumption, sorry Treppenwitz. It’s (as far as I know) _mostly_ a thing of the southern belt across the USA. From Texas and heading East, it’s often (but not exclusively in any way) made into a sweet tea, in New Mexico (where I grew up) and West it’s generally served straight, but served with lemon or lime slices/wedges and the usual tabletop sweeteners. I don’t know if it’s as common as it used to be when I was growing up in the 80s, and of course, it’s not as common outside of the home due to the time taken (a lot), minor health risks (minor IMHO at least), but it was and is still a thing for my family. Back to Yaupon, I am still amazed (generally in a good way) at how wide the range of beverages available have become. Yes, I know an older poster will be along to correctly point out that things were better in the 80s in southern NM than _their_ youths 1-2 decades earlier, but I remember when Celestial Seasonings and Biglow were _exotic_ teas. You had mostly Lipton and Luzianne teas, a couple of Biglow offerings (commonly Earl Gray, Mint, and Lemon), and that was it. One brand of instant coffee, and maybe 3 or so pre-ground coffee options in a tin. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/10 "2025-08-04T17:23:11Z")
Hey, no need to apologize - like I said, Ignorance Fought! j ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/11 "2025-08-04T17:43:07Z")
I would absolute try it, as I’ve never heard of it and like trying new-to-me things as much as possible. It won’t be a substitute for coffee, but for its own merits. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/12 "2025-08-05T01:32:14Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > It’s apparently grown in Florida and Texas. Here in Corpus Christi, it grows all over the place. People have them in their yards, and they grow in city parks as well as out in the wild. The problem is that so do these. > **[Schinus terebinthifolia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schinus_terebinthifolia)** > > Schinus terebinthifolia is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to subtropical and tropical South America. Common names include Brazilian peppertree, aroeira, rose pepper, broadleaved pepper tree, wilelaiki (or wililaiki), Christmasberry tree and Florida holly. The species name has been very commonly misspelled as ‘terebinthifolius’.\[a\] > Brazilian peppertree is a sprawling shrub or small tree, with a shallow root system, reaching a height of 7–10 m (... They look very similar. You don’t want to get mixed up and have the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/13 "2025-08-05T14:44:04Z")
The plant should change its name from Ilex vomitoria if it wants a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/14 "2025-08-05T15:01:07Z")
That _is_ a bit of a downer. For a “cheap” coffee substitute, why not prowl the roadsides and dig up a bunch of chicory roots? Historically used when real coffee wasn’t available, and still supposedly preferred by some conoisseurs. A “health” tea that’s been promoted is made from arborvitae needles. The saying went “A quart of arborvitae, to make him strong and mighty”. According to herbalist Euell Gibbons (who had a high tolerance level for…odd flavors) it made him semi-nauseous. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/15 "2025-08-12T20:23:38Z")
FWIW, Ordered from here…[Organic Dark Roast Yaupon Tea What Does Yaupon Taste Like-Beverage](https://grandrivertea.ca/products/organic-dark-roast-yaupon-tea-40g?%5C_pos=2&%5C_sid=652827a48&%5C_ss=r) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/16 "2025-08-12T20:41:43Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > I remember when Celestial Seasonings and Biglow were _exotic_ teas. I’m so old I remember when Mo’s 24 actually contained 24 different herbs. That didn’t survive the ‘70s. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-try-drinking-yaupon/1021631/17 "2025-08-12T23:33:40Z")
so, I went to Amazon and checked out the yaupon offerings, got distracted, and wound up ordering this: > **[Amazon.com : FreshDrinkUS, Pine Needle Tea Bags – 40 Tea Bags, Naturally...](https://www.amazon.com/FreshDrinkUS-Pine-Needle-Bags-Wild-Harvested/dp/B0F2468H2Y)** > > Amazon.com : FreshDrinkUS, Pine Needle Tea Bags – 40 Tea Bags, Naturally Caffeine-Free, Refreshing Herbal Tea, Wild-Harvested Pine Leaves, Aromatic and Soothing – Non-GMO & Eco-Friendly Packaging : Grocery & Gourmet Food