Early settlers in Australia seeking a substitute for black tea when it was not obtainable used a variety of native plants as substitutes, one of which was white correa, Correa alba.
It is a small to medium shrub with thick roundish deep green leaves which grows in eastern and southern Australia.
I decided I wanted to try the tea, as I had a plant growing at home it was straightforward to pick and dry the leaves - I picked the new flush of growth.
It was a great success and makes a delicious tea. The colour is great too, as you can see in the top photo. I had it without milk or sugar, it's taste was delicate, distinct from tea but still a reasonable substitute. It is difficult to describe,so if you have access to this plant you could try some 'Cape Barren Tea' as it was known.
