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
