Summer may not be the season most people associate with tea. But between vacations, beach concerts and the inevitable late nights that come with longer days, an iced herbal infusion can be just the thing, refreshing, hydrating and restorative without the dehydrating effects of a boozy beverage or too much caffeine.
That thought recently sent me searching for herbal tea blends made close to home. It led me to Flower Power Herbs & Roots, a familiar name from the tea aisle at Staff of Life, where colorful blends like Wiccan Women’s Brew, Breathe Easy and Avena Dream Tea have occupied prime shelf space for decades.
What I didn’t realize was that these herbalicious blends are crafted right here in Santa Cruz.
When I looked up founder Julie Rothman, I immediately recognized her face. During our conversation we discovered our paths had crossed years earlier through Tara Redwood School. As it turns out, Rothman has quietly become one of the region’s longest-standing herbalists, blending teas, sourcing herbs and educating the community for more than 35 years.
Her journey began while studying at UC Santa Cruz in the late 1980s. A community class taught by renowned herbalist Christopher Hobbs sparked her fascination with medicinal plants, eventually leading her to the California School of Herbal Studies. Flower Power Teas became her graduation project in 1990, and the business has continued to flourish ever since.
Despite the recent explosion of interest in adaptogens, functional beverages and botanical wellness, Rothman says Americans have been surprisingly slow to embrace one of the simplest traditions of all: loose-leaf tea.
“We’re such a fast-paced, caffeine-driven culture,” she says. “People still want a quick fix. They think one cup of tea will cure whatever’s wrong.”
Instead, she sees herbal medicine as something much bigger than symptom relief.
“It’s part of a lifestyle.”
That philosophy is reflected in how she recommends preparing tea, especially during the warmer months.
Rather than brewing a cup at a time, Rothman suggests making an overnight infusion or sun tea using mineral-rich herbs that thrive with a long steep. Nettle, oat straw, marshmallow root and hibiscus are among her favorite summer herbs because they release beneficial minerals while creating cooling, deeply hydrating drinks.
It’s a slower approach, but that’s precisely the point.
For Rothman, making tea isn’t simply about what ends up in the cup. It’s about creating a small daily ritual that reconnects us with something many of us have lost.
“We’ve become disconnected from the Earth, our home, and from understanding how our daily choices affect ourselves, our communities and the natural world,” she says.
In an age dominated by smartphones, constant notifications and endless scrolling, she believes even the simple act of measuring herbs, pouring hot water and waiting a few minutes can become a form of mindfulness.
“Just slowing down to make yourself a cup of tea, looking at the herbs in the blend and remembering they came from living plants helps you see yourself as part of something larger.”
That connection between plants, psychology and well-being has become increasingly important as rates of stress, anxiety and depression continue to climb. While herbal teas aren’t intended to replace medical care, Rothman believes they can support something equally valuable: intentional self-care.
Santa Cruz has provided fertile ground for that philosophy.
As the longtime bulk herb buyer at The Herb Room and the herbal tea brewer for the Northern California Women’s Herbal Symposium for more than three decades, Rothman has watched the region cultivate an unusually vibrant herbal community.
“When UCSC was founded in the 1960s, it attracted people who were questioning the status quo,” she says. “We’re surrounded by incredible natural beauty; people spend time outdoors, care about healthy food and active lifestyles. Herbalism fits naturally into that culture.”
While wellness trends cycle from detoxes to superfoods to adaptogens, Rothman isn’t particularly interested in chasing the next headline ingredient.
After all, she points out, herbal medicine isn’t new.
“It was the original medicine,” she says with a smile. “Many pharmaceutical drugs were originally derived from plants. The plants came first.”
Perhaps that’s why Flower Power Teas has endured for more than three decades. Its blends are built around a grounding philosophy that wellness is found in small rituals we return to every day.
Learn more about Julie and her work at flowerpowerteas.com
Elizabeth Borelli is a local Mediterranean Lifestyle expert. Visit ElizabethBorelli.com for news, recipes, events designed to support your wellness goals.
