The Tale of American Tea

Bryon White checks one of the yaupon bushes growing at Eagle's Nest. Photo by Melissa Marcarelli.

Yaupon holly, Ilex vomitoria, is a caffeinated plant native to North America whose history is intertwined with Indigenous cultures of the Southeastern U.S. It is one of three caffeinated Ilex species, alongside its South American cousins yerba mate and guayusa. Yaupon is traditionally roasted to create a mellow, earthy beverage, which has been imbibed for at least 8,000 years. Common in both casual and ritual use across the Native Southeast, yaupon tea was known by a variety of names, most famously as the black drink. The Timucua people of Northeast Florida were prolific cultivators and consumers of the tea, which they called casino, borrowed into European languages as cassina or cassina.

Yaupon grows native from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas, yet its historical significance extends even further. Archaeological evidence suggests that it played a role in pre-colonial trade networks, with traces of yaupon found as far as the city of Cahokia in present-day Illinois and in central Mexico. Despite its misleading scientific name, yaupon does not induce vomiting. The name stems from later misinterpretations of the use of special forms of the tea, likely with added ingredients, in ceremonies involving induced vomiting for ritual purification. Indigenous communities revered the plant for its medicinal and ceremonial properties, and for centuries it was a popular beverage among Native Americans as well as European settlers and enslaved Africans.

Given its abundance and historical significance, one might wonder why yaupon tea didn't become a commercial staple sooner. Duke University professor Christine Folch explores this in her research, noting that “beverages and food come socially encumbered.” She argues that the fact that its main consumers were marginalized people contributed to its decline in popularity in the 19th century. “There’s this sort of rejection around Indigeneity, which can be incredibly violent, and has been historically,” she says. This unfortunate rejection of Indigenous cultures pushed yaupon into obscurity for generations.

Today a North Florida company is reviving yaupon consumption. The Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company, founded in 2015 by Bryon and Kyle White, is pioneering commercial yaupon production for its sustainability and climate resiliency. When they started, a commercial supply chain for yaupon didn't exist. This meant that a lot of the work in growing the company has been in convincing farmers that yaupon is a worthwhile crop to grow. Through partnerships with the University of Florida and local farmers, the brothers have slowly built a yaupon supply chain. Today, Yaupon Brothers processes 50,000 pounds of yaupon annually and has 250,000 trees planted across partner farms in the Southeast, with plans for further growth.

Dr. Wendy Mussoline, a UF/IFAS Agriculture Agent in Putnam County, is optimistic about yaupon’s future. “The most exciting part of this journey for me is researching and commercializing a crop that is normally grown in native forest land in Northeast Florida,” she says. “We still have much to learn about plant spacing, irrigation and maintenance. The potential to reduce dependence on imported tea while benefiting our soils through carbon capture is promising.”

With little precedent for large-scale yaupon cultivation, Yaupon Brothers sought guidance from yerba mate producers. They partnered with Las Marías, Argentina’s largest yerba mate grower and the producer of the popular brand Taraguï, to refine their growing and processing techniques. At Eagle’s Nest Farm, Yaupon Brothers’ farm in Crescent City, Bryon White shared insights they’ve gained over the years. “Male trees are preferred for tea production since female trees produce berries that complicate processing,” he says. “While yaupon trees can grow up to 30 feet tall, they are pollarded to six feet to encourage bushier growth. It takes about three years for the plants to mature and another three to four days to dry the leaves.”

Eagle’s Nest Farm, originally an organic citrus farm founded in 1900, now serves as a research and development site for yaupon cultivation and an event and wedding venue. The farm is home to 3,000 organic yaupon holly plants, including their proprietary Potano variety, selected for its large leaves. A former citrus storage facility now houses their tea packaging operation, producing four million yaupon tea bags sold annually through suppliers like Whole Foods and Amazon. Yaupon Brothers also donates 5% of online sales to North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS), founded by James Beard Award-winning Chef Sean Sherman.

Michael Pollan calls caffeine “the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world,” noting that 90% of humans consume it regularly. As the only caffeinated plant native to North America, yaupon provides a sustainable, locally grown alternative to coffee, matcha, energy drinks and traditional tea. With 40-60 mg of caffeine per cup, it delivers a smooth, sustained energy boost without the jitters or crashes of coffee. Yaupon is also rich in antioxidants, polyphenols and bioactive compounds. Polyphenols help reduce inflammation and protect cells from oxidative stress, while theobromine — a compound also found in chocolate — provides cognitive benefits without overstimulation. And unlike traditional tea from Camellia sinensis, yaupon lacks bitter tannins, resulting in a naturally mild, smooth flavor.

Rather than competing with other yaupon producers, “Yaupon Brothers is competing with tea,” Bryon White says. The company’s mission is to encourage tea drinkers to choose yaupon over imported black or green tea. The brothers co-founded the American Yaupon Association to foster industry growth and educate consumers about yaupon’s health benefits. Reflecting on shifting consumer preferences, White says, “consumers have moved from wanting exotic imports to valuing local products and wanting to know where their food comes from.”

With its rich cultural heritage, climate resilience and health benefits, drinking yaupon not only revives an ancient tradition but also reshapes a narrative of consumption — one that is both sustainable and nourishing for the body and mind.