New Jersey Tea, Indian Tea, Mountain Sweet, Wild Pepper, Walpole Tea, Wild Snowball, Redroot, Ceanothus americanus var. intermedius, Ceanothus americanus var. pitcheri, Ceanothus intermedius
Low-growing, Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) is a bushy, upright, deciduous shrub boasting oval clusters of tiny, fragrant, white flowers in spring. Lasting over a moderately extended period, they rise from the leaf axils at the end of the new shoots. The flowers are a nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees. The foliage of broad-ovate, rich, glossy green leaves, 4 in. long (10 cm), with gray, hairy undersides, may develop yellowish hues in the fall. The dried leaves of this nitrogen-fixing shrub were considered one of the best substitutes for tea during the American Revolution. Extremely adaptable, this North American native species can withstand inhospitable conditions, including infertile, dry soils. A great shrub for use as a groundcover on banks and slopes and a nice addition to a butterfly garden.
| Hardiness |
4 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus | Ceanothus |
| Common names | Wild Pepper, New Jersey Tea, Indian Tea, California Lilac |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) |
| Height |
3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
| Spacing |
48" - 60" (120cm - 150cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low, Average |
| Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Midwest, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Attracts | Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Ground Covers |
| Hardiness |
4 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus | Ceanothus |
| Common names | Wild Pepper, New Jersey Tea, Indian Tea, California Lilac |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) |
| Height |
3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
| Spacing |
48" - 60" (120cm - 150cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low, Average |
| Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Midwest, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Southeast, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Attracts | Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Ground Covers |
How many Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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