Yaupon Tea Gift Guide this Holiday Season

Yaupon (pronounced yō-pon) is a naturally caffeinated herbal tea made from the Yaupon Holly—the only plant in North America that offers a native source of caffeine. Rooted in centuries of Indigenous tradition, it’s known for its smooth, welcoming flavor and gentle, steady lift.

Here’s what people love about it:

• Grows wild in Texas’ sandy-loam soil
• Hand-harvested and gently roasted for smooth flavor
• Naturally sweet and always smooth, never bitter
  

In Summary, Yaupon tea is a uniquely American, naturally energizing brew that’s smooth and enjoyable to drink.

Yaupon is naturally tannin-free, so it never becomes bitter—a key difference from green or black tea. It delivers the antioxidant benefits people look for in tea, but with a smoother, naturally sweet flavor and none of the astringency.

What sets it apart:

• Combines the benefits of green and black tea while avoiding the downsides of each (bitterness, jitters, & sustainability concerns)
• Yaupon is rich in antioxidants that combat oxidative stress and promote overall health & longevity
• Powered by a rare trifecta of caffeine, theobromine & theacrine for a joyful, steady energy you won’t find in other teas

In Summary, Yaupon offers the benefits of tea with a smoother taste and cleaner energy, without bitterness or environmental strain.

Yes, Yaupon naturally contains caffeine—about 25 mg per 8–14 ounce cup—alongside theobromine and theacrine, a rare trio of naturally occurring compounds that create a joyful, steady lift.

What makes it special:

• Naturally occurring caffeine
• A smooth, steady upward feeling
• No spike-and-crash pattern
• Supports focus, clarity, and presence
  

In Summary, Yaupon provides a smooth, steady energy unlike anything found in traditional teas.

Modern research is beginning to affirm what Indigenous communities have known for generations—this is a plant that gently nourishes, sip by sip.

Why people feel good drinking it:

• Naturally rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and beneficial alkaloids
• Tannin-free, making it smooth and easy on the stomach
• Offers joyful, gentle caffeine without the spike or discomfort
• Supports clear focus, balanced mood, and grounded energy

In Summary, Yaupon is a naturally giving plant, trusted for generations to offer clarity, steadiness, and gentle nourishment.

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Some teas demand precision—Yaupon isn’t one of them. Hot or iced, quick or slow, Yaupon simply meets you where you are.

What makes it so easy:

• Stays smooth and clear, no matter the steeping time
• Never becomes bitter or astringent
• Consistent and clean whether served hot or iced

In Summary, Yaupon is effortlessly easy to brew—always smooth, always steady, and impossible to over-steeped.

Yaupon Tea Brewing Guide

Yaupon carries a smooth, naturally sweet flavor that reflects the Texas landscapes where it grows.

How each roast shows up in the cup:

• Pedernales Green — crisp + bright
  Clean and refreshing with delicate grassy notes, subtle savoriness, and a bright, earthy finish. A calming, green-hued cup inspired by the quiet limestone banks of the Pedernales River.
• Lost Maples Medium Roast — golden + mellow
  Smooth and warm with caramel, raisin, and toasted nut undertones. A mellow, comforting cup echoing the golden colors of Texas’ iconic Lost Maples in autumn.
• Marfa Dark Roast — rich + toasty
  Elegant and deeply roasted with warm, nutty sweetness and a subtle, earthy complexity. A sophisticated cup honoring the creative spirit of Marfa’s high-desert landscape.

In Summary, every cup of Yaupon reflects the Texas landscape—crisp, warm, or richly toasty, yet always smooth.

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Our Yaupon is wild-harvested across native Texas lands, where it thrives in sandy-loam soil without irrigation or chemicals. Each harvest reflects careful stewardship of the land and the long Indigenous traditions of gathering Yaupon in the American South.

Where it begins:

• Transparent, traceable sourcing from leaf to label
• Partnering with local ranchers and land owners to gather only what nature allows—by hand, respectfully, and sustainably
• A People First Employment Initiative process that supports rural Texans

In Summary, our Yaupon comes straight from wild Texas landscapes where every cup reflects connection—to land, community, and nature.

Yaupon thrives in the wild without the need for irrigation, fertilizers, or pesticides, making it inherently sustainable. Through responsible wild-harvesting and Regenerative Organic Certified practices, Yaupon helps restore soil health and support native ecosystems.

What makes it regenerative:

• Harvested from existing native ecosystems, not farmed fields
• Leaves plants rooted and ecosystems intact through hand-harvesting
• Supports healthy soil, carbon capture, and clean water cycles

In Summary, Yaupon isn’t just sustainably grown—it actively supports the revival of native Texas grasslands, helping the land flourish for generations to come.

Learn more about our sustainability practices here.

We hold our yaupon to some of the most rigorous standards in food and agriculture. Our leaves are certified USDA Organic through CCOF, Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC), Whole Kosher-certified, and screened according to AHPA guidelines for heavy metals and pesticide safety. Every batch is also tested for microbials and purity before it ever reaches your cup.

What ensures its integrity:

• USDA Organic certification through CCOF
• Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) practices
• Whole Kosher certification
• AHPA-aligned heavy metal and pesticide screening
• Third-party microbial and purity testing
  

In Summary, our yaupon is as clean as the land it grows on—nourished by sunshine and rainwater, with nothing unnecessary added.

CatSpring Yaupon is gathered where it grows naturally—on native Texas land—rather than farmed or cultivated. We keep each plant rooted, harvest by hand, craft our roasts in small batches, and center our work on regenerative land care and meaningful rural employment.

What sets us apart:

• Hand-gathered leaves with plants left rooted
• Regenerative land stewardship, not cultivation
• Regenerative practices that restore soil and habitat
• People First Employment Initiative and ethical sourcing

In Summary, CatSpring offers Yaupon made with integrity, grounded in land, people, and place.

Learn more about our sustainability practices here.