Ephedra trifurca aka Longleaf Joint Fir

Ephedra trifurca is a shrub in the Ephedraceae family. It stays green all year. Its names include Mexican tea and longleaf jointfir. Its native range runs from southeastern California to Texas and northern Mexico. It grows in deserts and dry shrubland. Wild plants grow on rocky slopes and sandy flats. They also grow in creosote bush scrub. These sites span low desert ground and higher slopes.

Garden plants reach about 2–6 feet (0.6–1.8 metres) tall. They spread about 3–8 feet (0.9–2.4 metres). One other account gives both as 6.6 feet (2 metres). The shrub keeps its leaves all year. Its open shape gives desert gardens structure. It also gives cover in its native shrubland. Sources say it flowers from March to May. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Wind moves pollen from one to the other. Both sexes must grow nearby to form seeds.

Choose full sun and soil that drains well. Sand and loam both suit this plant. It accepts mildly acid soil. Neutral and mildly alkaline soils suit it too. It can grow in dry or moist soil. Once settled in, it copes with drought and needs little water. It grows best in warm, dry sites. The main reported problems are poor drainage and too much water. The source gives USDA hardiness zones 7–10 for dry climates. Its shape suits low-water beds and gardens of desert plants.

The stems can make a brewed tea. The source says it tastes like lemon, with some bitterness. It also notes a sweet taste and faint pine flavor. Boiling makes it less bitter and brings out sweetness. People may also chew the twigs for their flavor. This use does not make it a staple food. The source says to drink the tea in modest amounts. Avoid plants from polluted roadsides or treated land. Past uses as medicine include stems steeped in water. They also include poultices, or moist packs, for sores. These records do not prove that such treatments work or are safe.

Grow new plants from seed, by division, or by layering. Sow fresh seed in autumn in a greenhouse. Or sow in spring in sandy compost. Keep young plants under glass through their first winter. Plant them out after the expected last frost. The source also says to shield them through their first winter outdoors. Divide settled plants in spring or autumn.