Featured Plant of the Week: New Jersey Tea

Ceanothus Americanus 

New Jersey Tea

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

Duration: Perennial

Habit: Shrub

Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Leaf Complexity: Simple

Size Notes: Normally no more than 3 feet tall, but can reach 5 feet. 

Leaf: Green 

Autumn Foliage: yes

Flower: Flowers in 2 inch heads 

Fruit: Brown 

Size Class: 1-3 ft. 

BLOOM INFORMATION

Bloom Color: White 

Bloom Time: Mar , Apr

GROWING CONDITIONS

Water Use: Low , Medium 

Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade 

Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist 

Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2) 

CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium 

Drought Tolerance: High 

Cold Tolerant: yes

Soil Description: Well-drained, mesic sand, loam, or limey soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Limestone-based 

Conditions Comments: This extremely adaptable species can withstand inhospitable conditions because of massive, deep roots. It is quick to recover after fire. 

BENEFIT
Use Ornamental: Ground cover, Rocky hillside, Low growing, Planned landscape 

Use Wildlife: Butterflies use flowers. Turkeys and quail consume seeds. 

Use Food: The dried leaves of this nitrogen-fixing shrub make an excellent tea that was very popular during the Revolutionary War period. (Niering) 

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Attracts: Birds , Butterflies 

Larval Host: Spring Azure, Summer Azure, Mottled Duskywing 

Nectar Source: yes