Yaupon Holly Tea Vs. King George

Yaupon Holly tea is the only native caffeinated plant in North America. Historically, it was and still is integral to the culture of Indigenous Tribes of the Southeast part of Turtle Island and, for a time, posed a significant threat to the British colonial economy. In this article, we will unpack why King George saw this Southeastern native plant as a threat to his empire and allow the mystery of yaupon holly to unfold. 

I do want you to know that I’m not drawing any conclusions here and prefer to enjoy the mystery of yaupon holly tea without knowing for sure how its true history became buried for centuries. Maybe it is the seeker in me, who loves digging for information or perhaps it is the realist in me who realizes we will likely never know for sure but regardless I have been captivated by Yaupon Holly, and through it, I have already expanded my knowledge of native plants, the genocide of India, and centuries of history of the Carolina coast. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do! 

Yaupon’s Threat to King George

In the 18th century, Yaupon tea began gaining popularity among British tea drinkers. This threatened the British East India Company (EIC), which dominated the global tea and sugar trade. The British Empire heavily depended on tea and sugar taxation, which faced potential threats from the increasing popularity of yaupon holly tea in England. First, British tea drinkers preferred the natural sweetness of yaupon holly tea. Second, Yaupon’s lack of bitterness allowed tea drinkers to use less sugar like bitter Asian teas.

King George was indirectly tied to the British East India Company (EIC) through the economic policies of the British Empire. As monarch during much of the EIC’s dominance, King George benefited from the taxation of tea and sugar, which were central to the EIC’s trade, and brought substantial revenue to the crown, additionally this increased British dominance in global trade, and allowed for further Imperial expansion. This means that a competing tea from the “Americas” would compromise a vital source of King Goerge’s power and wealth. Therefore, the marginalization of yaupon holly tea by eliminating competition in the Asian tea market was in his best interest.

The Suppression of Yaupon Holly Tea 

King George was determined not to allow competition to undermine the EIC monopoly and lessen his power and profits. So, he resorted to tactics the British knew well: misinformation, exploitation, and suppression. Yaupon tea, cultivated and enjoyed in Europe for nearly 90 years without issue, became the target of a calculated smear campaign designed to bury it.

The downfall of Yaupon can be traced back to a pivotal moment in 1753. Carl Linnaeus, the father of taxonomy, classified Yaupon Holly as Ilex cassine, a name it shared with another species, Dahoon Holly. This mistake created confusion, opening the door for exploitation.

Enter William Aiton, the Royal Gardener and a close ally of King George. Aiton capitalized on Linnaeus’ error to protect British economic interests. He reassigned the name Ilex cassine exclusively to Dahoon Holly and rebranded Yaupon with a damning new name: Ilex vomitoria, or “The Holly That Makes You Vomit." This was a deliberate lie—Yaupon had no such effects. Yet, the new name frightened European consumers, effectively ending Yaupon’s rise in the global tea market.

The Erasure of “Primitive” Native Culture 

The smear campaign against Yaupon expanded beyond power and greed. Purposely or not the burying of Yaupon Holly’s history led to the erasure of Native culture and traditions. For Southeastern tribes like the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole, Yaupon was more than a beverage. It was a ceremonial and medicinal plant, deeply woven into their spiritual and social practices. By discrediting Yaupon, colonizers undermined these cultural practices. 

Ilex Vomitoria Tea? 

To be fair William Aiton did not come up with the botanical name ilex vomitoria out of nowhere. Yaupon holly tea is a historically significant plant used in ceremonies by Southeastern Tribes for centuries. During these ceremonies, Native people consumed a beverage commonly known as the "black drink" containing yaupon holly and potentially other medicinal plant. The ceremonial acts often involved purging the body to achieve "ritual purity." This purging action likely led to Yaupon Holly's botanical name, Ilex vomitoria. 

However, Charles Hudson wrote in his book, Black Drink a Native American Tea, “The Indians sometimes drank it for hours at a time as a social beverage without vomiting.” He also states, “There is some evidence that Europeans used the term “black drink”  to refer to teas made with other substances that were emetic (vomit-inducing).” Another theory is the pure amount of tea they would drink quickly would cause vomiting. Regardless there is no proof of yaupon holly being an emetic plant. Instead, these actions reflect the biases of the time of European’s views of Indigenous cultures as primitive and/or savage. 

Enslaved Native Americans on Sugar Plantations

Concurrently, Colonial powers, particularly the English, Spanish, and Portuguese, enslaved Native Americans in the Southeastern United States and exported them to work in sugar plantations in places like the Caribbean islands, including Barbados and Jamaica. The colonial economy's dependence on sugar was sustained through this exploitation of Native American enslaved labor. This practice was part of the larger transatlantic slave trade system.

It is estimated that between 24,000 and 50,000 Native Americans were enslaved and transported from the Southeast alone during the height of this trade. The loss of tens of thousands of Native Americans due to this enslaving was another piece of history leading to the loss of culture and traditions. 

The Resurgence of Yaupon Holly Tea 

Today, as medicinal plants like yaupon holly experience a resurgence, there is a troubling pattern of cultural appropriation. Indigenous traditions, such as smudging and cacao ceremonies, have often been co-opted by “new age,” “crunchy,” or festival-going individuals—frequently non-Native—without acknowledgment or respect for their origins.

This trend is particularly striking given the history of oppression Native Americans have faced. Ceremonies that were once banned under the 1883 "Code of Indian Offenses" and only legally protected by the 1978 "American Indian Religious Freedom Act" are now being commodified, stripped of their cultural significance, and repackaged for profit. 

As yaupon holly gains popularity, this history underscores an urgent need for Native people to play a leading role in retelling its story. This involves educating others about its cultural and spiritual importance and leading efforts in growing, harvesting, and owning brands that honor the plant’s heritage. Unfortunately, the current market for yaupon holly tea is dominated by non-Native-owned brands. These companies often erase the ongoing presence of Southeastern tribes through white-washed marketing and by framing Indigenous narratives in the past tense, neglecting the fact that Native people continue to use Yaupon Holly Tea for spiritual and medicinal purposes today. 

Our goal as a Native American Yaupon Tea business is to educate others about the cultural, spiritual, and historical significance of Yaupon Holly while preserving and honoring its heritage through sustainable practices and authentic storytelling. We also intend to return this plant to the land and people it belongs to by encouraging its cultivation and harvesting by Native peoples for continued traditional and medicinal use. 

References

1. Bowen, H. V. (2006). The Business of Empire: The East India Company and Imperial Britain, 1756-1833.
2. Gallay, A. (2002). The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717.
3. Hudson, C. (1979). Black Drink: A Native American Tea. University of Georgia Press.
4. Mabberley, D. J. (2008). Mabberley's Plant-book: A Portable Dictionary of Plants, their Classifications, and Uses.
5. Prucha, F. P. (1994). The Great Father: The United States Government and the American Indians.
6. Smith, A. (2010). "The Global Tea Trade and Its Impact on the Colonial Economy." Journal of Economic History.
7. Stearn, W. T. (1992). Botanical Latin.