Medicinal Monday...Greenthread a Native American Medicinal Tea

Thelesperma filifolium commonly known as stiff greenthread or plains greenthread has been used by Native Americans on the Great Plains for centuries as a medicinal tea. This plant is lovingly known as Navajo Tea or Indian Tea and is commonly known as Greenthread or Cota. The Navajo, Apache, Hopi, and Pueblo Native American communities all have a historical and ongoing connection to this tea.

About Greenthread

This flowering herb grows up to two feet high and blooms between March and June.  It belongs to the aster family and is often found growing in shallow, dry, sandy or gravelly soil. The dusty green color of its' thin thread-like leaves gives this plant its name. The daisy-like eight-ray flower is golden yellow and about two inches with a reddish to dark brown disk in the center of the flower. It can be found on dry hills and along roadsides, over much of the plains and mountain states. It grows prolifically on Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo lands throughout much of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado and can also be found in Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

Medicinal Uses

Traditionally, the plant is harvested as the flower buds open. It is then washed and dried in the sun. Once the plant is dried it is folded into small bundles, tied and steeped in water to make tea. It has a mild and aromatic taste that is similar to green tea. Some Apache lightly roast the stems of Greenthread before making their tea giving it a flavor similar to Hokicha, a type of roasted Japanese green tea.

The Keres use this tea to treat children with tuberculosis.  The Navajo used an infusion of the tea as a remedy for toothaches; it is also taken for its' stimulating effects. In general, the tea was taken as a mild diuretic and to purify the blood. Another traditional use was to take this tea for arthritis, headache, joint pain, and injuries.

Did You Know...

Twigs of Greenthread have been found in posts and medicine bundles from ancient dwelling sites.

The genus, Thelesperma is native to North America

The seeds are a food source for the painted bunting a species of bird in the cardinal family that is native to North America. This bird is often described as the most beautiful bird in North America because of its spectacular colors.

It is also a good nectar plant for butterflies and is a larval food for the sulphur butterfly.