Nevada Ephedra | Ephedra Nevadensis

Contents

Contains 20 Ephedra Nevadensis seeds. In sealed packaging.

Effects of Nevada Ephedra

The stalks of Ephedra Nevadensis (also known as Mormon’s Tea) contain an active compound called ephedrine. The effects of ephedrine are similar to caffeine, but ephedrine is even stronger. Ephedrine raises your heartbeat quite intensely, which causes your blood pressure to rise. In this way, ephedrine provides a rush of energy and helps your body to burn body fats. Ephedrine makes you feel awake, clear-minded and active.

Ephedrine is often added to dietary supplements that help you to lose weight (so-called stackers). Its energizing effect also makes it a popular party drug. Recently, ephedrine has become more controversial: it is banned in high doses both in the Netherlands and the United States. Cultivating the plant Ephedra Nevadensis itself is still legal in most countries, as long as it’s not used for extracting the active substances it contains.

It should be noted that the alkaloid content in Ephedra Nevadensis is lower than in its big brother Ephedra Sinica. For this reason, it’s the Sinica that is used to create dietary supplements, rather than the Nevadensis.

Use of Ephedra Nevadensis

You can use the Ephedra plant to brew an herbal tea. For one cup, boil 5 grams of the Ephedra plant in water for about 10 minutes. Filter the water with a sieve and if desired, add water until the brew achieves the color of regular tea. Add honey to taste.

You can also dry the stem of the Ephedra plant and grind it to a powder. In this case, you need about 1-4 grams to brew tea. Ephedra herbal tea is said to boost concentration.

Cultivating Ephedra Nevadensis

The robust Nevada Ephedra is originally found in the dry deserts of the Southwest of the United States. The plant is used to dry, warm conditions and for this reason, it’s easiest to cultivate Nevada Ephedra in a greenhouse, especially in its first year. Nevada Ephedra thrives in sandy or loamy soal and needs to be exposed to as much sunlight as possible.c

Sew the seeds in a pot, in a space with a temperature of about 20° Celsius that will remain free of frost. As soon as the seeds have germinated, the plants will have to be raised in separate pots. It’s possible to move the plant outside after the last frost of the season in spring. You can even decide to plant them in your garden. In this case, make sure to protect the plants from cold and frost in its first winter outside. Nevada Ephedra needs little water.

To harvest the Ephedra plant, cut the top ends of the plant with a pair of scissors. You can do this as often as you like, but make sure to not cut everything at once and to not cut under the buds of the Ephedra plant.

History

Nevada Ephedra (Ephedra Nevadensis) is a gymnosperm shrub belonging to the ephedra family (Ephedraceae). This brushy plant achieves about 60-90 centimeters in height and is characterized by its long, smooth, green stalks. It grows yellow buds when blossoming. The plant was originally found in the dry deserts of the Southwest of the United States. Its name refers to Nevada state, where the plant is commonly found.

Just like other kinds of Ephedra, Ephedra Nevadensis has been used for centuries for its many health benefits. Native Americans traditionally use the plant to treat asthma and hay fever. Ephedra has the effect of dilating the airways, allowing for easier breathing. Ephedra tea is commonly drunk as a remedy against influenza. People also chew the twigs of Ephedra when their lips are burnt by the burning desert sun. This allegedly alleviates the pain. Ephedra Nevadensis sometimes also constitutes part of the daily diet. The yellow buds are eaten for their mild, sweet flavor, while the roasted seeds serve to make coffee and even bread.

The Europeans colonising the Americas in the 18th and 19th century also became fond of Nevada Ephedra tea. The colonists felt a stimulating, cheerful sensation when drinking this tea, which reminded them of the effects of cafeine. Nevada Ephedra became a common replacement for coffee. The tea was also drank to get rid of all kinds of sexually transmitted diseases.

Even now, the Mormons in the Southwest of the United States still regularly drink a cup of Ephedra tea. For this reason, Nevada Ephedra is also commonly referred to as Mormon’s Tea. In a way, you could say Ephedra is the only drug allowed in this religious community!

Ephedrine is closely related to amphetamine, the active compound in speed. Amphetamine is in fact an artificially created substance modelled after ephedrine. Both ephedrine and amphetamine provide a kick of energy, but unlike amphetamine, ephedrine does not stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain. In other words, it doesn’t cause any feelings of euphoria.