Why Michoacán?
Where ancestral wisdom and biodiversity meet the power to heal
Discover why we chose Michoacán as the heart of our herbal teas
Michoacán is in western Mexico, between 1,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level. This elevation creates a unique microclimate with mild temperatures year‑round, allowing plants to grow that wouldn’t survive elsewhere.
Strategic altitude
Between 1,000–3,000 meters, where hot, temperate, and cold ecosystems meet. This vertical diversity makes it possible to cultivate an extraordinary variety of medicinal plants.
Mild climate
Moderate temperatures (15–25°C) year-round, without extreme heat or cold. This creates ideal conditions for plants to concentrate nutrients.
Michoacán’s mountains act as natural barriers that regulate weather, create specialized microclimates, and protect crops from extreme swings. Volcanic soil is extraordinarily mineral-rich, nourishing plants with a nutrient density that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Michoacán is a hotspot with more medicinal plant species per square kilometer than many regions.
Plant species
in Michoacán
Medicinal plants
used ancestrally
Main ecosystems
in the region
This biodiversity isn’t accidental. For millennia, Indigenous cultures selected and cultivated the most effective plants. The result is a concentrated natural pharmacy.
Pine forests, cloud forests, valleys, and ravines create ecological niches where plants with extraordinary properties thrive. Each microclimate produces plants with unique profiles.
Michoacán was the heart of the Purépecha Empire (also known as the Tarascan Empire), a civilization as sophisticated as other great Mesoamerican cultures, with its own herbal medicine system.
The Purépecha: Masters of Plants
Ancestral knowledge: An herbal medicine system over 2,000 years old. Each plant had a purpose, a method of preparation, and a place in cosmology.
Living continuity: In Michoacán, this knowledge wasn’t completely lost. Grandmothers still teach granddaughters; plants are still cultivated the way they have been for centuries.
Community integration: Herbal medicine isn’t a trend—it’s part of everyday life and the traditional way to heal.
The Nahua and other Indigenous cultures have also been a crucial part of this tradition. They all shared a deep respect for plants: they weren’t resources—they were relationships.
When we work with growers, we don’t “discover” plants—we honor what was already known, proven for millennia and still effective today.
In Michoacán there is a key concept: the backyard gardenIt’s not a garden; it’s a complete system for producing food and medicine that has sustained families for centuries.
What is a backyard garden?
It’s the land behind the home (100–500 m²) where diversity is grown: medicinal plants, fruits, vegetables, aromatic herbs, and trees. Everything coexists, creating a productive micro‑ecosystem.
Key feature
Unlike monoculture, the backyard garden is polyculture. Diversity is strength: plants protect each other, build rich soil, attract pollinators, and reduce the need for chemicals.
Why it works
It mimics nature. A forest doesn’t have rows of a single tree—it has diversity. It’s agriculture that respects natural cycles and works with the land.
Our teas come from backyard gardens, not industrial plantations. That means hands‑on care, ecological harmony, and generational knowledge.
Sustainability isn’t a buzzword in Michoacán. It’s necessity and common sense.
No pesticides
Backyard polyculture reduces pests; beneficial insects coexist in natural balance.
Natural energy
No industrial irrigation. Sun‑ and shade‑drying, not electric ovens.
Living soil
Microorganisms, insects, and fungi create rich soil—stronger, more nutritious plants.
Closed cycles
Organic waste becomes compost. Nothing is wasted.
In Michoacán, sustainability is the traditional way of life. Our role is to honor that model.
For decades, Michoacán has faced migration: young people leave the countryside for opportunities in cities or abroad. This weakens communities and threatens the transmission of ancestral knowledge.
Our approach
Fair price: We pay growers directly—no middlemen.
Makes it possible to stay: With dignified income, families can choose to stay and pass on the craft.
Preserves knowledge: Each grower is a guardian of centuries of wisdom.
When you buy a tea, you support families like María in Angamacutiro and help keep the tradition alive.
Michoacán Is Not a Place
It’s a philosophy—the result of thousands of years of experimentation, discovery, and refinement. It’s where people understood we are not separate from nature, but part of it.
Our teas come from there because we believe ancestral wisdom, sustainable cultivation, and human connection are key ingredients for true well‑being.
When you drink a Michoacán herbal tea, you drink history.
Meet our growers
Read the real stories of María, Don Rafael, Lupita, and the families who grow our teas.
Visit the Growers