Ceanothus americanus 
New Jersey Tea seems to be having a bit of a popularity boom lately, with seemingly everyone looking to add this beautiful, low-growing shrub to their landscape.
 
Easily grown in average soils and full to part sun, this shrub is drought tolerant and will top out at 2-3 feet tall, making it an excellent shrub for the more formal garden.
 
Your New Jersey Tea will be a hotbed of activity when in bloom, as hummingbirds feast on the tiny insects that eat the white blooms, and many bee species will visit this lovely throughout the summer.
 
This shrub gets its common name from it's use as a tea, especially during colonial times. New Jersey tea was a favorite after the Boston Tea Party.
 
Of note, C. americanus is the host plant for over 45 species of butterflies and moths in the larval stage, including the Mottled Duskywing, which specializes on the New Jersey Tea.
 
Use: Collect leaves when the plant is in full boom. Dry them throughly in the shade and then steep like a black tea.  It does not have caffeine.
 
Plants can be purchased in-person or online (with in-person pick-up).
All online orders will be ready for pick-up 24-72 hours after purchase. You will receive an email to let you know when your order is ready. We kindly ask that you pick-up any orders within one week of purchase.
 
photo 2 courtesy of Dan Wilder