Author Topic: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A  (Read 26979 times)

Coconut Cream

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Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« on: July 30, 2025, 03:00:26 PM »
One of my very sweet neighbors has asked for my help with her garden. She grows some fruit but her real passion is making teas of all kinds. I've tried a few of them and it's wild how she combines ginger and turmeric and mulberry leaves and various fruit rinds into a hot or cold beverage.

She wants to expand what she is growing into a full blown tea garden. I made some basic suggestions like Roselle, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, and Blue Butterfly Pea Vine. What else comes to mind that would work well and look nice in Florida 10A?
USDA Zone 10A - St. Lucie County, Florida, USA - On the banks of the St. Lucie River

xesoteryc

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2025, 03:30:30 PM »
Tumeric makes the best tea for sure. I know people use passion flowers / leafs.

Hibiscus is an excellent addition. The most calming tea there is IMO

Nicola!@#

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2025, 09:37:18 PM »
All gingers, normal, turmeric, black ginger and all the rest of it. Passionfruit grows well from seed, anything citrus, vegetable, fern, tons of bananas, especially plantain, gynura, both varieties chaya, sauropus androgynus, all sorts of sweet potato, cassava, lemon grass. At the beginning I would stick some annuals under the trees. Also Brazil spinach, gotu kola, all sorts of taro, they look great. One of the nicest teas is the root of mondia whitei, if she doesn't want produce but tea.

Galatians522

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2025, 12:29:15 AM »
True tea, allspice, and cinnamon come to mind. Yapon holly was used by the Seminole and is one of the few North American plants that contains caffeine. Yerba Mate is also a Holly that is used for tea in South America. American Persimmon leaf has been used for tea, too.

As I ponder further...Silk Bay Persea humilis makes my favorite wild tea. A Florida adapted mint would be another good one. Sour soup and Guava are sometimes consumed for health benefits.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2025, 12:40:28 AM by Galatians522 »

Pokeweed

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2025, 07:26:18 AM »
Fascinating thread! Loquat leaves, grape leaves, mimosa flowets. D

SpeciesOfSubstance

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2025, 05:33:47 PM »
To add on to Ilex vomitoria (yaupon), Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate), but also Ilex guayusa (guayusa) would probably do well in Florida.

Bet you would do well with a Camellia sinensis var. assamica of some kind. A tea garden is hardly complete without actual TEA!  ;)

Valeriana officinalis (valerian) is an excellent tea. It is always one of the first plants I recommend to anyone in their home garden. Smells a little strange if you are not familiar, but the taste is deeply comforting, and the effect is extremely soothing. Excellent for issues with sleep, anxiety, and certain inflammatory conditions.

It also is an effective counteragent to caffeine due to its specific flavanoid content (as is Matricaria recutita, common chamomile, and Scutellaria sp., the skullcaps.)

Galatians522

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2025, 11:00:16 PM »
For what it is worth, I did not care for the taste of Yerba Mate. It tasted like a mix of dried grass and green shrub clippings. One cup was my first and last. However, some people love it. I would advise tasting some before planting. Apparently, Yapon outscored Yerba Mate in a blind taste test conducted by University of Florida. This may be due to the milder flavor and lack of tannin in Yapon. Neither was scored very high by the majority of the tasting panel.

On the other hand, I keep a jar of wild foraged Silk Bay leaves in my spice cabinet. The taste is hard to describe other than to say that the sweetened brew tastes like "Christmas Spice." I could see a blend of Yapon and Silk Bay becoming a very popular native tea option. Really, I think that is the key for native teas. They must be blended. That way you get the caffeine from Yapon and the tasty flavors of Silk Bay. I rank it equal to the teas that I made from cinnamon and allspice leaves. Cinnamon/Yapon would probably be another good blend, but that is pure speculation.

On another random note, some other tea options would be Elder flower (made from elderberry flowers) and Pandan tea (which is made from the pandus plant and is popular in Thailand. Also, has anyone tasted Okra seed coffee? Some people apparently like it quite a bit.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2025, 11:38:16 PM by Galatians522 »

roblack

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2025, 08:52:00 AM »
I mix Yerba mate leaves with other stuff (Ceylon cinnamon, holy basil, lemon grass, hibiscus, passiflora, mint, turmeric, ginger, galangal, noni leaf, piper nigrum, etc) and it tastes fine. Not making a thick drink like the traditional one, just adding it to the mix. Helps with allergies and the sniffles.

Coconut Cream

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2025, 10:18:16 AM »
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I made up a list and I will go over them with her to figure out what she wants (probably everything). I already have some Pandan Leaf planted so I can give her some slips to get that one going. Thank you everybody who took the time to reply  :D
USDA Zone 10A - St. Lucie County, Florida, USA - On the banks of the St. Lucie River

BP

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2025, 12:34:31 PM »
This thread is very interesting to me. Any of these types grow in 8b well? Or, what kind would you rec for me to zone push with

BeyondOrganicLife

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2025, 07:40:28 PM »
Mexican mint marigold. Also coffee leaves and cherries.

JCorte

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #11 on: November 17, 2025, 11:36:48 AM »
Josh Jamison (Cody Cove Farm) says Lippia alba - Juanilama makes one of the best teas he's ever tried.  I have a plant being delivered today. ;D

Chrysanthemum morifolium, Bo-ju-hua, considered to be superior for making chrysanthemum tea

Backhousia citriodora - bright lemon flavor for tea, also used in cooking and as a dried spice.

Lemon verbena is one of my favorites, smells like lemon drop candy.  Great for tea and also makes a great lemon infused simple syrup to make sorbet.  Just steep long enough to release the glandular trichomes that store the essential oil on the leaves without getting the bitter flavors from the leaf, about 5 minutes.

Lemon balm

Cinammon zeylanicum already mentioned.  I love this plant. 

Tulsi vana, Ocimum gratissimum is another staple in my garden.

Janet

Galatians522

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2025, 07:19:10 PM »
Very interesting, I'd not heard of the Juanilama.

JCorte

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2025, 08:17:08 PM »
He's selling cuttings but doesn't ship outside of Florida. 10 cuttings for $13, what a bargain!  Support his nursery if you can.

https://codycovefarm.com/product/lippia-alba-juanilama-excellent-herbal-tea/

Janet





Galatians522

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2025, 11:14:58 PM »
He's selling cuttings but doesn't ship outside of Florida. 10 cuttings for $13, what a bargain!  Support his nursery if you can.

https://codycovefarm.com/product/lippia-alba-juanilama-excellent-herbal-tea/

Janet

I do, he is a great guy!  ;)
« Last Edit: November 17, 2025, 11:16:45 PM by Galatians522 »

JCorte

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #15 on: November 18, 2025, 11:40:07 AM »
Here is a great blog post from The Botanist in the Kitchen on the evolution of lemon flavor and a great technique for making fresh herb syrup.

https://botanistinthekitchen.blog/2013/09/02/evolution-of-lemon-flavor/

Janet

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2025, 12:15:19 PM »
Here is a great blog post from The Botanist in the Kitchen on the evolution of lemon flavor and a great technique for making fresh herb syrup.

https://botanistinthekitchen.blog/2013/09/02/evolution-of-lemon-flavor/

Janet

Cant wait to try those techniques. That was a very interesting read thanks

Francis_Eric

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #17 on: February 07, 2026, 03:07:14 AM »
WHat Type of tea Does she Like bitter Flavors
I do
(wormwood (A liquor Jeppsons Malort from Chicago is made with it can be blended with lager beer  )
((Pleurisy root (a species of milkweed -- good for LUNGS Helped Cure me of serious dry cough with other stuff , but made life livable )
But I really like this tea as well
Beer hop tea (American Hop with Higher Bitterness or IBU ---
I tried a 17 IBU bitters Hop with Garlic Flavors (What I like is you can make a cup of tea , )
and add more hot water, and have another cup, then add more, and have another ,
and another after each cup of reusing the old hops  you can get different layers of hop flavor as it gets weaker )

King of bitters for drinks  Andrographis (still working on experimenting )
Aronia Berry
Cola nut
(has to be bought I believe)


Not Bitter Bidens or beggars ticks (aster Family they sell this in Hawaii  Ko’oko’olau  can be $20 for 2 OZ. at tourist places)
http://www.gardenguyhawaii.com/2014/11/medicinal-teas-of-hawaii-mamaki-and.html
Mountain mint
Japanese maple leaves (sour early to pick or develop leafy taste )
Sumac (non White berries ) Rhus  copallinum (fora  Florida native Winged sumac be aware could take over )
for a Fermented wine (A dry wine has a Sweet taste Non fermentable sugars)
https://web.archive.org/web/20010302054932/http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/staghorn.asp
Moringa has a leafy taste grassy , but I prepared some bought tea, and tasted good like that
Not a fan really of what I tasted cheap Pu -erh bought some with Cardamom  (no sugar added, and it's a good tea)
Licorice flavor Mexican Avocado  leaf species (but not other species as that is not healthy ) kidney cleanse )

For what it is worth, I did not care for the taste of Yerba Mate. It tasted like a mix of dried grass and green shrub clippings. One cup was my first and last. However, some people love it. I would advise tasting some before planting. Apparently, Yapon outscored Yerba Mate in a blind taste test conducted by University of Florida. This may be due to the milder flavor and lack of tannin in Yapon. Neither was scored very high by the majority of the tasting panel.

On the other hand, I keep a jar of wild foraged Silk Bay leaves in my spice cabinet. The taste is hard to describe other than to say that the sweetened brew tastes like "Christmas Spice." I could see a blend of Yapon and Silk Bay becoming a very popular native tea option. Really, I think that is the key for native teas. They must be blended. That way you get the caffeine from Yapon and the tasty flavors of Silk Bay. I rank it equal to the teas that I made from cinnamon and allspice leaves. Cinnamon/Yapon would probably be another good blend, but that is pure speculation.

On another random note, some other tea options would be Elder flower (made from elderberry flowers) and Pandan tea (which is made from the pandus plant and is popular in Thailand. Also, has anyone tasted Okra seed coffee? Some people apparently like it quite a bit.
Hey I respect you being a Fellow Forger of wild plants ,
 but where these leaves properly prepared rolled steamed bruised dried sorted/sifted like they do "really  tea" ? (Gun Powder green tea ) or black tea)
People pick tea leaves , and think putting them in a cup of water taste like grass as well .

This is a Good brand with a Smoky flavor Guayaki Traditional Yerba Mate Tea Bags
and below is a Nice blend it is a bitter tea (with
 Juniper berry -- Green rooiboos leaf -- Hibiscus calyax flower--   rosehip --  sea buckthorn berry --  Dandelion root)

I also have to say it is interesting to blend Black tea
I bought over a pound of  early picked black tea, that was watery tasting I blended some with cheap tea , to improve both
This is something Beggars ticks may be better to blend with (has a white tea taste , but may add malty ness , but I did not prepare this like traditional tea either just saying freshly picked, and dried )



----------------------
Here are one I have to try I looked in Tea cabinet ,
but I mostly like bitter Flavors so barley try these
I will have to list some more , but decided not to now.


------------------------------

Hoja Santa (sacred pepper ) Piper auritum
 "root beer plant," is a fragrant, tropical herb from Mexico with large, heart-shaped leaves and a unique flavor profile often described as a mix of anise, licorice, sassafras, and eucalyptus. A staple in Oaxacan cuisine, it is used to wrap tamales, fish, and meats, or to flavor moles and soup
















Francis_Eric

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #18 on: February 07, 2026, 06:53:27 AM »
Good link
Forger chef makes a syrup from Mugo Pine or  Mountain pine cones
https://foragerchef.com/mugolio-pine-cone-syrup/

Pine needle leaf tea is good or spruce needle around here We have soft type with citrus smells, but I forget the name.
Here is a great blog post from The Botanist in the Kitchen on the evolution of lemon flavor and a great technique for making fresh herb syrup.

https://botanistinthekitchen.blog/2013/09/02/evolution-of-lemon-flavor/

Janet

There was a Reason I posted a Wine site for tea see 234 flowers for tea link
Often times harsh tasting things ferment into good tasting Alcohol the tannin, and also the astringent taste could make good tea

https://web.archive.org/web/20191020224925/http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/flowers.asp


I did say I was going to try some of these Tea's I bought from the store The Mexican store
I also have strange spices from A Indian store, , and others I recently found (I misplaced, )
I have not tried sacred pepper , but sure does smell strong
Sassafras is good, and plan to dig some sarsaparilla (smilax roots )

I did Forget
Curly dock Rumex crispus   seeds for bitter tea Around here a weed this can pick up Nitrates if too much Nitrogen is used
Bear Root out west has a Celery taste I like it (Colorado Bought from Native American's it's Popular)
Mango Seed I was Desperate for a bitter tea (bike ride to Starved rock ) India has a butter made of the Seed
Aam-ka-Pedh butter I think (sorry I would have to check my Emails Google is not working Correctly anymore )

(If desperate "RED" Sumac Berries is sour like lemonade, but boiled has a tea tannin taste)
(Of coarse I know Many Shelf Fungus are bitter, and medicinal )

zanthoxylum Prickly Ash or Hercules  Club  for Florida (citrus Family Survives Chicagoland ) numbs your mouth (tiny pea fruits leaf tea)
Szechuan Buttons (use in cocktails )
 https://store.underwoodgardens.com/Toothache-Plant-Szechuan-Buttons-Electric-Daisy-Spilanthes-oleracea/productinfo/H1053/
hoptree Ptelea trifoliata  in citrus family grows in Chicagoland "Morton  Arboretum Lisle "  I would like to try this as well
(note store plant in paper bag plastic rots if you put it off after condensation builds up.)

(I have heard of Mugwort being a hop substitute , just tried out of my tea stash
 not what I expected it's sour, maybe better fermented.
maybe I will have strange dreams tonight Good Night.

Next will try Brickellia (Prodigiosa )


Rico_Kryptic

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2026, 10:37:53 AM »
My friend has made tea from my Cashew tree leaves and she loved it. Soursop leaves also make a good healthy tea.

roblack

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2026, 02:19:31 PM »
My friend has made tea from my Cashew tree leaves and she loved it. Soursop leaves also make a good healthy tea.

People should research soursop (or anything for that matter) before making tea, annona leaves (seeds, bark, roots, etc.) contain a neurotoxin. Leaves have lower concentrations, but still present. Do your homework, and watch out for drug interactions as well.


RS

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Re: Help Me Help My Neighbor Start A Tea Garden in Florida 10A
« Reply #22 on: March 07, 2026, 09:23:11 AM »
Fascinating thread! Since it hasn't been mentioned, white sapote leaves are also used in traditional medicine for tea (I might have to order some to try https://www.amazon.com/Zapote-Blanco-SAPOTE-NATURAL-Concentration/dp/B0DH13QGL5/).

There's also loquat blossom tea, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NS3QtuZQY