A Caribbean tradition

Caribbean Bush Teas, brewed where they grow.

Bush tea is the Caribbean's oldest medicine cabinet — leaves, roots, flowers, and barks gathered, dried, and brewed with intention. Most of what fills our jars is grown right here in the US Virgin Islands. This is a guide to the plants you'll meet on our wall.

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Sourced locally from USVI farms, family gardens, and small Caribbean growers — dried in small batches, never irradiated, blended by hand on Main Street in Charlotte Amalie.

The plants

Eight bush teas worth knowing.

Hibiscus / Sorrel

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Sorrel — the Christmas cup of the Caribbean.

Grown in island gardens across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.

Properties

Rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins
Traditionally enjoyed to support healthy blood pressure
Tart, hydrating, naturally caffeine-free

Tradition

In the USVI, dried sorrel calyces are simmered with ginger, clove, and orange peel for the holiday season. We dry ours slowly to keep the colour deep and the flavour bright.

How to brew

1 tbsp dried sorrel · 8 oz water · 5 min steep · sweeten to taste.

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Fever grass — every Caribbean grandmother's first pour.

Cut fresh from kitchen-garden hedges all over the islands.

Properties

Eases digestion and bloating after a meal
Long used to cool a fever and calm the nerves
Bright lemon-citrus aroma without acidity

Tradition

Bundled, dried in the breeze, and brewed for almost anything — a cold coming on, a heavy plate, a long day. We blend it with ginger for a classic island tonic.

How to brew

1 tsp dried lemongrass · 8 oz near-boiling water · 4 min steep.

Moringa

Moringa oleifera

The tree of life.

Cultivated across the USVI for its leaves, pods, and seeds.

Properties

One of the most nutrient-dense leaves on earth
Source of plant protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C
Vegetal, grassy, faintly sweet — close to matcha

Tradition

Locally dried and stone-milled. Brewed alone as a daily green tonic or blended with lemongrass and a pinch of turmeric for a morning lift.

How to brew

1 tsp dried moringa · 8 oz water just off the boil · 3 min steep.

Soursop Leaf

Annona muricata

Guanábana — the bedtime leaf.

Hand-picked from soursop trees on St. Thomas.

Properties

Traditionally taken before bed for restful sleep
Soft, calming brew with no bitterness
Caffeine-free and gentle on the stomach

Tradition

Soursop leaves are dried whole, then crumbled to order. A favorite Caribbean nightcap, often paired with a thin slice of fresh ginger.

How to brew

2 dried leaves (or 1 tsp crumbled) · 8 oz water · 6 min steep.

Mango Leaf

Mangifera indica

From the mango trees that line every road.

Gathered from USVI mango groves at the right point of maturity.

Properties

Traditionally used to support healthy blood-sugar balance
Gentle, herbaceous, faintly sweet
Pairs well with hibiscus and lemongrass

Tradition

Young, supple leaves are sun-dried and cut. A quietly powerful Caribbean leaf that's only now finding its way into modern cups.

How to brew

1 tsp dried mango leaf · 8 oz water · 5 min steep.

Local Bay Leaf

Pimenta racemosa

West Indian bay — the spice of the Virgin Islands.

Native to the eastern Caribbean; harvested locally in the USVI.

Properties

Warm, clove-like, lightly peppery
Used in cooking, bay rum, and herbal teas
A grounding aromatic base for spice blends

Tradition

The same leaf behind classic St. Thomas bay rum. We brew it gently — one leaf is plenty — for a warm, fragrant cup that pairs beautifully with cinnamon and ginger.

How to brew

1 small dried leaf · 8 oz water · 5 min steep.

Local Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Island ginger — sharper, brighter, hotter.

Grown in small batches around the USVI and the wider Caribbean.

Properties

Eases nausea, motion sickness, and indigestion
Warming, citrus-edged, faintly sweet
Anti-inflammatory and circulation-supporting

Tradition

Sliced fresh into sorrel at Christmas, or simmered alone with lime and a spoon of local honey when the weather turns cool.

How to brew

3 thin slices fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried) · 8 oz water · 6 min simmer.

Local Turmeric

Curcuma longa

Saffron root — the golden rhizome.

Cultivated in Caribbean soils, dried and milled in small lots.

Properties

Source of curcumin, traditionally anti-inflammatory
Brews bright gold; earthy and peppery on the palate
Best paired with a crack of black pepper for absorption

Tradition

A pinch alongside ginger and moringa is the island's version of a wellness shot — gentler, slower, and far more pleasant in a cup.

How to brew

½ tsp dried turmeric · 8 oz water · 6 min simmer · pinch of black pepper.

Traditional uses are shared for cultural and educational context. Bush teas are food, not medicine — please speak with your doctor before using any herbal tea as a treatment.

Blend the tea in person.

Smell every jar. Taste before you blend. Walk away with a tin of tea labeled in your name — and the story of every leaf inside it.

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