The yaupon plant grows widely across the southern US and is now emerging as a homegrown alternative to imported tea|Luteus|CC BY 3.0
As steep tariffs raise the cost of imported tea, a little-known native plant is gaining attention. Yaupon, the only caffeinated plant native to North America, is making a comeback.
New tariffs—some of the highest since the Tea Act of 1773—have made importing tea from countries like China and India more expensive.
Once used by Indigenous communities and early American colonists, the plant grows widely across the southern US and is now emerging as a homegrown alternative to imported tea.
Producers are responding by expanding harvests, switching to domestic packaging, and educating the public on yaupon’s taste and benefits.
Yaupon is now featured in restaurants, cafes, and ready-to-drink beverages, often replacing imported options.
Once dismissed as a nuisance plant, yaupon now fuels local economies, supports rural jobs, and offers an eco-friendly beverage rooted in American soil.