New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

We are so excited to have finally germinated and grown this amazing plant!   From Prairie Moon Nursery: "

New Jersey Tea blooms in a spectacular display of fragrant white flowers from June to August.  Clusters of tiny blossoms pop open in nearly-synchronized explosions, covering the mounded shrub.  Growing between 2 and 3 feet tall, this sturdy little bush flaunts striking dark green foliage that provides visual interest even when not in bloom.  The rounded, compact shape lends itself equally well to both traditional landscape design and naturalized pollinator garden aesthetics.

Ceanothus americanus is a nitrogen-fixing species that prefers medium-dry soil but can tolerate rocky conditions.  It blooms best in part to full sun.  The thick, red-hued roots make it drought-tolerant but difficult to move once established, so choose the site carefully.  New Jersey Tea produces flowers on new stems, so any pruning should be done early in the season.  Mature shrubs can be cut to the ground in spring to encourage more vigorous growth. 

An important host plant for Spring Azure and Summer Azure caterpillars, New Jersey Tea also attracts bees and hummingbirds, and its seeds provide food for wild turkeys and quail.  Deer, elk, and rabbits also love to browse this plant, so protection may be necessary, especially when the plant is young.  The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has listed this species as 'Special Value to Native Bees' including the rare Yellow Banded Bumble Bee.  It is also listed as a species that ‘Supports Conservation Biological Control.’

This native plant has a lot of historic applications: Native Americans used the roots, flowers, and foliage for a variety of purposes.  After the Boston Tea Party, many American colonists steeped its leaves as a flavorful (albeit caffeine-free) alternative to imported tea.  This is where the common name, New Jersey Tea, originates.

Other common names include Redroot, Red Root Tea, Wild Lilac, and Mountain Snowbell. 
*New Jersey Tea can be late to show signs of life in the spring, especially in northern climates. Leaves could emerge from woody stems, but you could also see new growth from the base of the plant".

Image Credit: Prairie Moon Nursery

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***  Many of the new native perennials will say "We have run out of stock for this item or it is out of season" for now, so we don't overpromise. If you would like to purchase one of our native varieties that says this, we urge you to click the "Notify Me when Available" button to get a notification emailed to you when we know we have some available for purchase.  

This is because native plants have different growth habits than the other plants we start under grow lights.  In fact, most of them need a long cold period in the soil before germinating in the spring or summer, or even a year after being sown. Therefore, it is  a bit more challenging to predict when and how many will be ready for pick up in the spring.