What if one day we run out of coffee. Imagine the apocalypse. Boom. I’m not talking about volcanoes or zombies. I’m talking about something worse: a Monday at 6:00 AM without a drop of caffeine. No coffee, no tea, not even a miserable caffeinated soda to wake you up!! How long would you last? Is that hell? How long would you last? I’ll tell you right now: nothing.
Now think about this: there’s a plant in the United States, completely local, that’s been growing for centuries without much attention… and it can save us in a caffeine emergency. It’s called yaupon, and it’s starting to become trendy. Not because it’s cool, but because things are changing.
Climate crisis, rising import tariffs, and the search for sustainable options… Yaupon has gone from forgotten to interesting. It has caffeine, it’s natural, it’s ours. And yes, it has history, and it’s ours!
What is yaupon
It’s a shrub that grows in our country. And it’s the only naturally caffeinated plant native here. The leaves are brewed like tea and contain both caffeine and theobromine (the same thing you find in cocoa). In other words, pure energy. Indigenous communities like the Cherokee or the Creek used it in rituals centuries ago.
Why now?
It’s not about the flavour. It’s (always and everything) about economics. And maybe about sustainability. Companies like CatSpring Yaupon are bringing this plant back, processing it, and selling it as a local infusion that’s just as good as green or black tea. Andit doesn’t need pesticides, it barely uses water, and it grows on its own, without you having to do anything. It’s hard to beat that!
A shrub with a lot of history
Its scientific name is Ilex vomitoria, although don’t let the ugly name fool you. It was known by indigenous peoples for its stimulating effect. And even though we see it as a rarity today, for a long time it was the go-to natural caffeine source for people around here.
In fact, when in 1773 the colonists dumped over 90,000 pounds of tea into the sea during the famous Boston Tea Party, they didn’t end up without caffeine. They had yaupon. Grown here. Cultivated here. Used here. They knew exactly what they were doing.
This is the perfect moment!
With prices rising, a lot of people are thinking twice before buying foreign coffee or tea. And it’s not just a money issue: it’s also a way of supporting what’s local.
Drinking yaupon isn’t just having an infusion. It’s consuming something that supports rural communities, that has low environmental impact, and that also connects us with our own roots.
CatSpring Yaupon and the return to origin
Its founder, Abianne Falla, says that more and more people are looking for healthy, sustainable, local products. And yaupon has it all, don’t? On the other hand, this company saw the potential clearly. They already have eight harvesting sites, and their infusions keep that earthy taste that’s so characteristic of the plant. Plus, they preserve its antioxidant properties and that sought-after energy boost.
Is it a passing trend? Maybe not. Because this goes beyond taste: it’s about history, ecological awareness, and a shift in how we consume.
Can it replace tea?
It would be hard to dethrone tea globally. Tea is king, and it’s not going away anytime soon. But in the United States, yaupon has a few winning cards: no import needed, hardly any watering, no chemicals. And it has caffeine.
So if you’re looking for a morning infusion to wake you up without carrying the carbon footprint of imported tea… maybe yaupon will surprise you.
It’s not just a plant. It’s a small rebellion with its own flavor. A way of saying that we also know how to do things right around here. Have you tried it yet?