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Yaupon holly, which grows all over the southeastern US from Texas to Florida is the only naturally-caffeinated plant in the US. https://lostpinesyaupontea.com/

Yaupon holly, which grows all over the southeastern US from Texas to Florida is the only naturally-caffeinated plant in the US. https://lostpinesyaupontea.com/pages/yaupon-tea-caffeine-content https://lostpinesyaupontea.com/pages/yaupon-tea-caffeine-con... I have several yaupons in my yard's landscape and have dried the leaves as described and made tea. It has a good flavor and is pleasant to drink. I drink so much coffee though that I could not tell whether I was getting any caffeine. I just felt normal. The bushes grow to small trees that can, over time, completely cover a landscape since the send up sprouts from their shallow roots. This is a sustainable, easy to grow, source of caffeine for areas where it will grow. The berries are excellent food for birds in winter. Our trees were attacked and stripped by flocks of birds in the last days before the big freeze this February. I thought the trees had frozen out but they are now as bushy and vibrant as ever. As far as real coffees from their native environments are concerned I would gladly volunteer my place as a test site for growing a drought tolerant, freeze-tolerant variety as long as I get to taste test it. I drink my coffee New Orleans style with chicory. It is the most delicious morning, noon, evening, and night drink that I have ever had. Smooth, non-acidic, rich, vibrant, fragrant, just plain great liquid energy.

nieve 5y ago
> The bushes grow to small trees that can, over time, completely cover a landscape since the send up sprouts from their shallow roots. That makes me worry about it acting as an invasive.
- masklinn 5y ago
  Yaupon is native to the southern US. If it were going to cover the land it would already have done so. Also technically this description encompasses strawberries. If that were sufficient to be invasive, there’s be way more strawberry bushes out there.
ianai 5y ago
Your link: “ We think the magic is actually in the balance of caffeine and theobromine. In addition to caffeine, yaupon also contains theobromine, which most people know from chocolate. Theobromine is similar to caffeine, but has a milder effect. And its uplifting effect is one of the reasons chocolate is known as an aphrodisiac. Theobromine has health benefits as well!” They buried the lede! Theobromine is awesome! Mix in some theanine and enjoy being in flow (or pretty close).
- Jarwain 5y ago
  Every so often I like to brew up some cacao instead of coffee; it's like a chocolate tea and feels quite nice
wernercd 5y ago
> naturally caffeinated Isn't there ways to cross pollinate stuff? I've been out of school for awhile and I never got into biology... but why couldn't we get caffeine in, say, apples? or wheat? caffeinated bagels would rock...
- xef 5y ago
  https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cross-pollination.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cros... > First, cross pollination can only occur between varieties, not species. So, for example, a cucumber cannot cross pollinate with a squash. They are not the same species. This would be like a dog and a cat being able to create offspring together. It is simply not possible. But, cross pollination can happen between a zucchini and a pumpkin. This would be like a yorkie dog and a rottweiler dog producing offspring. Odd, but possible, because they are of the same species.
  - kuerbel 5y ago
    For the very low chance someone wants to give this a try, be wary of any zucchini you grow yourself, if it tastes even mildly bitter it might kill you. The chance that this happens is greatly increased if cross pollination occurs. Most people don't seem to know this.
    - justinclift 5y ago
      > ... if it tastes even mildly bitter it might kill you. Hadn't heard of this before either. Looking around online, and yep, it's a real thing (was kind of wondering ;>): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_(vegetable)#Toxicology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_(vegetable)#Toxicology
pabs3 5y ago
Do the berries also have caffeine in them?
- doodlebugging 5y ago
  I believe that the berries may have some small amount of caffeine but in quantity they can make you sick. This link is a really good link to explain harvesting and enjoying yaupon tea. https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/yaupon-holly.html https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/yaupon-holly.html
brailsafe 5y ago
Do you drink your coffee with chicory in it, or made out of the chicory itself? I'd love to try it anyway, mind elaborating?
- doodlebugging 5y ago
  I drink my coffee with ground chicory added dry before the boiling water is poured. I use a stainless steel French press and add coffee grounds first in the amount that I have found yields the best flavor profile for that press and then I add the ground chicory to the coffee grounds again measured to yield a consistent flavor. Once the coffee water boils in the kettle, I pour and stir until the grounds are all wetted and then I add water if necessary to the edge of the pour spout so I have a consistent volume of water. After three to five minutes of steeping I press the grounds and pour the coffee into my almost never-washed cup. I find that it makes a delicious brew that has all the flavor of the coffee you use but none of the acid profile even if you use a dark roast or espresso base. It really is the best I have ever enjoyed. In old times past, chicory served as a coffee substitute. It has no caffeine but it does produce a delicious brewed drink flavored similar to coffee. When coffee was more scarce or people could not afford it, chicory was the drink of choice. You can buy bags of chicory from Community Coffee company in Louisiana where I buy it. They will ship it right to you. There are probably other places where it is available. If you would like to try New Orleans style coffee which was my introduction to it when I worked in the oilfield, buy the New Orleans blend of coffee and chicory and try that to see if it is to your taste. If that works for you, buy bags of chicory and your favorite coffee (Community has many flavors and I really like all of them) and then design your own blend. I think you will like it. Here is a link to their chicory page where you can buy both products. https://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee#/filter/CoffeeType=Chicory https://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee#/filter/Coff... Good luck and let us know what you think if you try it.
  - brailsafe 5y ago
    That's quite an an answer, thanks for going into such detail. I also almost never wash my cup, and love a french press, but have been doing pour-overs most of the time lately. I visited Baton Rouge a few years ago and would love to return, especially now knowing about chicory. > Good luck and let us know what you think if you try it. Are you an owner?

nieve 5y ago

> The bushes grow to small trees that can, over time, completely cover a landscape since the send up sprouts from their shallow roots. That makes me worry about it acting as an invasive.

masklinn 5y ago
Yaupon is native to the southern US. If it were going to cover the land it would already have done so. Also technically this description encompasses strawberries. If that were sufficient to be invasive, there’s be way more strawberry bushes out there.

ianai 5y ago

Your link: “ We think the magic is actually in the balance of caffeine and theobromine. In addition to caffeine, yaupon also contains theobromine, which most people know from chocolate. Theobromine is similar to caffeine, but has a milder effect. And its uplifting effect is one of the reasons chocolate is known as an aphrodisiac. Theobromine has health benefits as well!” They buried the lede! Theobromine is awesome! Mix in some theanine and enjoy being in flow (or pretty close).

Jarwain 5y ago
Every so often I like to brew up some cacao instead of coffee; it's like a chocolate tea and feels quite nice

wernercd 5y ago

> naturally caffeinated Isn't there ways to cross pollinate stuff? I've been out of school for awhile and I never got into biology... but why couldn't we get caffeine in, say, apples? or wheat? caffeinated bagels would rock...

xef 5y ago
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cross-pollination.htm https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cros... > First, cross pollination can only occur between varieties, not species. So, for example, a cucumber cannot cross pollinate with a squash. They are not the same species. This would be like a dog and a cat being able to create offspring together. It is simply not possible. But, cross pollination can happen between a zucchini and a pumpkin. This would be like a yorkie dog and a rottweiler dog producing offspring. Odd, but possible, because they are of the same species.
- kuerbel 5y ago
  For the very low chance someone wants to give this a try, be wary of any zucchini you grow yourself, if it tastes even mildly bitter it might kill you. The chance that this happens is greatly increased if cross pollination occurs. Most people don't seem to know this.
  - justinclift 5y ago
    > ... if it tastes even mildly bitter it might kill you. Hadn't heard of this before either. Looking around online, and yep, it's a real thing (was kind of wondering ;>): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_(vegetable)#Toxicology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_(vegetable)#Toxicology

pabs3 5y ago

Do the berries also have caffeine in them?

doodlebugging 5y ago
I believe that the berries may have some small amount of caffeine but in quantity they can make you sick. This link is a really good link to explain harvesting and enjoying yaupon tea. https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/yaupon-holly.html https://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/yaupon-holly.html

brailsafe 5y ago

Do you drink your coffee with chicory in it, or made out of the chicory itself? I'd love to try it anyway, mind elaborating?

doodlebugging 5y ago
I drink my coffee with ground chicory added dry before the boiling water is poured. I use a stainless steel French press and add coffee grounds first in the amount that I have found yields the best flavor profile for that press and then I add the ground chicory to the coffee grounds again measured to yield a consistent flavor. Once the coffee water boils in the kettle, I pour and stir until the grounds are all wetted and then I add water if necessary to the edge of the pour spout so I have a consistent volume of water. After three to five minutes of steeping I press the grounds and pour the coffee into my almost never-washed cup. I find that it makes a delicious brew that has all the flavor of the coffee you use but none of the acid profile even if you use a dark roast or espresso base. It really is the best I have ever enjoyed. In old times past, chicory served as a coffee substitute. It has no caffeine but it does produce a delicious brewed drink flavored similar to coffee. When coffee was more scarce or people could not afford it, chicory was the drink of choice. You can buy bags of chicory from Community Coffee company in Louisiana where I buy it. They will ship it right to you. There are probably other places where it is available. If you would like to try New Orleans style coffee which was my introduction to it when I worked in the oilfield, buy the New Orleans blend of coffee and chicory and try that to see if it is to your taste. If that works for you, buy bags of chicory and your favorite coffee (Community has many flavors and I really like all of them) and then design your own blend. I think you will like it. Here is a link to their chicory page where you can buy both products. https://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee#/filter/CoffeeType=Chicory https://www.communitycoffee.com/products/coffee#/filter/Coff... Good luck and let us know what you think if you try it.
- brailsafe 5y ago
  That's quite an an answer, thanks for going into such detail. I also almost never wash my cup, and love a french press, but have been doing pour-overs most of the time lately. I visited Baton Rouge a few years ago and would love to return, especially now knowing about chicory. > Good luck and let us know what you think if you try it. Are you an owner?