Ephedra viridis, commonly known as green Mormon tea, is a woody shrub-like gymnosperm in the Ephedra family, Ephedraceae. This perennial shrub has dried out vestigial leaf pairs that mark the nodes along the photosynthetic stems. E. viridis is native to western North America where it is found growing in dry rocky and sandy soils. Ephedra viridis is a dioecious species, the male plants flower with cones of pollen at each node that measure less than 0.2 inches long while the female plants flower with cones that hold two seeds each. E. viridis grows up to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity with thin bluish bright green stems. Ephedra viridis blooms in April and May. This species is used as a medicinal crop that is commonly prepared as tea for sinus infections and sinus congestion. E. viridis is also used in modern medicine for bronchial asthma. It should be taken with precaution as consuming high doses may be poisonous. Ephedra viridis grows best in full sun to partial shade, sitting in well-draining soils. Water the plant adequately during summer and sparingly during the winter. It is a drought-tolerant species and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. Allow the soil to completely dry out in between waterings. USDA plant hardiness zones 6b to 9a.
Ephedra viridis requires a cold stratification pretreatment to germinate reliably. This may be achieved by leaving seeds in a freezer for 1 to 2 months. Next, light scarify their hard seed coat before sowing. Use a file, sandpaper, or nail clipper to lightly weaken the seed coat, while being careful to not damage the embryo. Cloning boxes, ziplock bags, and other containers that retain humidity are ideal to store sown pots. Use a well-draining sterilized cactus soil mix. Sow the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep and lightly cover them with the potting mixture. Germinating pots should be kept indoors, out of extreme light and heat. Ideal germination temperatures range from 65°F to 75°F. Germination typically takes 3 to 5 weeks to occur. Even with optimal conditions, germination may be slow and sporadic.
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All packages will be shipped with basic customs information such as; HS codes, VAT numbers, and properly labeled contents. Unfortunately, The Garden of Set is unable to provide phytosanitary certificates for orders at this time. It is the buyer’s responsibility to know local laws regarding the import of plants, seeds, and plant products into their country. It is also up to the buyer to provide any other customs forms or information required to import plants into their country. If packages get stopped by customs, The Garden of Set will not be able to provide a refund for the purchase. Most of the time packages make it to their destinations just fine, this is for the small minority of packages that get stopped without having all the proper customs information required by the country of import. Purchase at your own discretion.