Ephedra viridis aka Green Ephedra

Ephedra viridis is a shrub in the Ephedraceae family. Common names include green ephedra and green Mormon tea. It comes from the western United States, reaching New Mexico. Its range includes California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming. It grows on dry, rocky slopes and gravel terraces. It also grows on canyon walls, often over limestone.

This upright shrub keeps its green stems through winter. Sources give heights from about 3–6 feet [0.9–1.8 metres]. Larger plants may spread to 6 feet [1.8 metres]. Its form ranges from dense to open and airy. The thin, stiff stems turn yellow-green as they age. Small, pointed leaves grow in pairs around each stem. Their bases form a thin sheath around the stem. The leaves fall early, leaving a broom-like shape. The bare green stems give the plant its lasting colour.

Male and female cones grow on separate plants. Wind carries pollen between them, and seed production needs both sexes. PFAF lists April to May as the flowering period. Male pollen cones form small groups at the stem nodes. Female seed cones also grow in groups at nodes. Oregon State describes red, fleshy fruit rising above the bracts. The cones and fruit add detail to the spare stems.

Grow this shrub in full sun with very good drainage. It suits sandy, gravelly, rocky, or loamy ground. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. Once established, it tolerates drought and needs little irrigation. PFAF lists USDA hardiness zones 5–11. Oregon State suggests zone 5, but marks that limit as uncertain. Use it in rock gardens or low-water native beds. It also suits mass planting, ground cover, and erosion control. Its stems provide cover and structure in dry shrublands.

People use the young twigs to make tea. PFAF advises moderate use and warns against swollen, infested twigs. Immature seeds can burn the throat and should not be eaten. Traditional uses include stem teas and poultices for several ailments. These records do not establish that such treatments work. Boiling the twigs with alum yields a pale tan dye. The supplied evidence gives no clear list of other pests or diseases.