Cota Tea Plant

As its many common names indicate it is widely used throughout the state.
Cota tea plant. If you are. Cota is first and foremost a delightful herb tea producing a red colored tart beverage that is refreshing served cold with a bit of fresh wild mint or served hot just by itself or with lemon and honey. Still its main use is in the southwest and the plant grows abundantly on the navajo hopi and pueblo lands as well as throughout much of new mexico arizona and colorado. The extended range of habitat is made possible by the fact that several species exist see table some only at high altitude others growing in the plains and virtually all of them can be used to make greenthread tea.
Cota is also known as. Sign up with your email address to receive news updates and secret promotions. When dried in the sun cota appears bright green. Unit b tacoma wa 98406.
It is also used to reduce fevers to treat kidney problems to purify the blood against gonorrhea as a vermifuge to expel intestinal worms as a stimulant for the nervous system. Made with squarespace shop about. Sometimes cota is combined with other plants such a cinnamon spearmint and pennyroyal to make a tastier tea moore 1990. There are some ceremonial uses for this herb as well.
Its main use is as a leisure tea drunk. Many years ago before tea or coffee were consumed in the state of new mexico cota was a very popular b. Terracotta coffee tea. Cota tea is an important part of life in much of new mexico and is widely used throughout the state.
What is it used for. In northern mexico the plant is found in the states of chihuahua and coahuila. Our cota is wild crafted from northern new mexico and is used to relieve stomachaches and other digestive ailments. Before coffee was imported the tea was the beverage of choice.
Cota indian tea hopi tea navajo tea zuni tea greenthread by susan bruneni photos. Cota tinctoria the golden marguerite yellow chamomile or oxeye chamomile is a species of perennial flowering plant in the sunflower family other common names include dyer s chamomile boston daisy and paris daisy in horticulture this plant is still widely referred to by its synonym anthemis tinctoria. Parts of the plant used. A pelethra of the wild growing plant can be found in northern new mexico along roadsides and in mountain areas.
The actual name of the herb is called cota. When dried in doors as is done during the monsoon season cota appears dark as though it was roasted. I have recently published a booklet that focuses on the traditional uses and beliefs on new mexican herbs one of which is cota. It is a short lived plant often treated as biennial native to europe the.
Cota is a perennial plant that is found in various areas of united states including arizona colorado kansas nebraska new mexico oklahoma texas utah and wyoming. The plant is taken as a tea to relieve stomachaches and other digestive ailments. Beverley spears cota is an integral part of life in much of new mexico. It has also been used to dye baskets textiles.
Subscribe to our newsletter. A tea is available in commerce and sold as cota greenthread or indian tea. Indian tea hopi tea navajo tea zuni tea colorado greenthread.