Navajo tea is made by steeping the dried stems and leaves of a wild plant called greenthread (Thelesperma megapotamicum) in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes until the liquid turns a golden-brown color. The result is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea with a mild, sweet, piney flavor that has been a staple beverage across the American Southwest for centuries.
What You Need
The tea comes from a perennial herb commonly called greenthread, cota, or Hopi tea. It grows wild across the high desert of the Four Corners region, particularly in New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Colorado. The plant has thin, thread-like stems and small yellow flowers that resemble tiny daisies. You can use the dried stems, leaves, and flowers to brew tea.
If you’re not foraging your own, dried Navajo tea is sold in bundles or loose form through Native-owned shops and online retailers. A small handful of dried plant material (roughly a tablespoon or two) per cup of water is a good starting point, though you can adjust to taste. You’ll also need a kettle or small pot.
Step-by-Step Brewing
Bring fresh water to a rolling boil. If you’re using bundled stems, break or cut them into smaller pieces so they fit easily into your kettle or pot. Drop the dried plant material directly into the boiling water, reduce the heat slightly, and let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch the color: you’re looking for a warm golden-brown, similar to a light black tea. Darker color means stronger flavor.
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into your cup. The tea has a naturally mild sweetness on its own, so many people drink it plain. If you want to dress it up, honey is the most common addition. Cinnamon and spearmint also pair well with the earthy, piney base flavor. Some people enjoy it iced, which works just as well: brew it slightly stronger than usual, then pour over ice.
For a richer version, you can make a latte-style drink by adding warm milk or a nut-based milk after brewing. Almond milk and pine nut milk are traditional-leaning options that complement the flavor profile.
Flavor and Caffeine
Navajo tea tastes nothing like standard black or green tea. It’s earthy and lightly sweet with a subtle pine-like quality. There’s no bitterness, even if you steep it a bit longer than intended. Because the plant contains no caffeine at all, it works as an anytime drink, including before bed. Before coffee and commercial tea were widely available in New Mexico, cota was the everyday hot beverage for many communities in the region.
Traditional Uses and Plant Compounds
Beyond its role as a daily drink, greenthread has a long history as a medicinal tea across Indigenous and Hispanic communities in the Southwest. It has traditionally been used to ease stomachaches and digestive discomfort, reduce fevers, and support kidney health. Some communities also used it as a mouthwash for tooth pain.
Modern lab analysis has identified several active compounds in the plant that help explain these traditional uses. The leaves and stems contain luteolin and marein, both flavonoids with documented antioxidant activity. A phytochemical study published in Chemistry Proceedings found that luteolin from Thelesperma megapotamicum showed strong antioxidant and neuroprotective effects in laboratory testing, with notably low concentrations needed for activity. The plant also contains eriodictyol, another flavonoid in the same family. These are the same types of protective compounds found in foods like celery, chamomile, and citrus peel.
Sourcing and Foraging Responsibly
If you’re buying dried Navajo tea, purchasing from Native-owned businesses supports the communities that have cultivated knowledge of this plant for generations. Sakari Farms and similar Indigenous-run operations sell it in ready-to-brew form.
If you’re interested in wild harvesting, the USDA’s best practices guidelines for foraging indigenous plants emphasize a few key principles. A plant that’s plentiful in one area may be threatened in another, so abundance in your specific location matters. Traditional Indigenous harvesting protocols, developed over thousands of years, exist for reasons of sustainability, safety, and ceremony. The USDA specifically recommends talking to local Indigenous peoples to learn what protocols apply in your area. Never harvest from protected land without permission, and take only what you need, leaving the root systems intact so the perennial plants can regrow.
Greenthread is a perennial, meaning the same root system produces new growth each year. Cutting stems above the base rather than pulling the entire plant allows it to return the following season.
Storage Tips
Dried Navajo tea keeps well for months when stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. A paper bag or loosely sealed jar works better than an airtight container, since a small amount of airflow prevents moisture buildup. If the stems still have a mild, pleasant scent when you crush them between your fingers, they’re still good to use. Once brewed, the tea keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, making it easy to prepare a batch for iced tea.