New Jersey Tea
(Ceanothus americanus)
Left : Ceanothus americanus in ASMSA Garden in Fall of 2024.
Above: Ceanothus americanus in ASMSA Garden in Spring of 2024.
Plant Characteristics
Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:
New Jersey tea is a nitrogen fixing plant, so it does well in poor, sandy soils that are well-drained. Medium loam, sandy loam, sandy, limestone-based. Not too rich; pH circumneutral to acidic.
Growth Habit/Description:
New Jersey Tea grows to approximately 3 feet in height. Its stems are light green and covered with fine white hairs which become woody with age in the absence of fire or browsing by wildlife. Leaves are alternate and broadly oblong-ovate, up to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. It is native to the United States and has a moderate lifespan and a slow growth rate.
Bloom Season:
Blooms from July to August. Flowers are white, round umbels that give off a sweet scent. Monecious.
Fall and/or Winter Interest?
No.
Distribution
Habitat: New Jersey tea has a wide distribution and ranges from Quebec to Florida; west to Texas; and north to Minnesota. It is mainly found in dry sandy areas.
Native to Arkansas? Yes
Native to Garland County? Yes
Endemic to Arkansas? No
Ecological Value
Host Plant for Caterpillars?
Yes. New Jersey Tea is a host plant for the caterpillars of the butterfly Celestina neglecta (summer azure) and the skipper Erynnis martialis (Mottled Duskywing) which feed on the flowers, flower buds, and fruit of a variety of small woody shrubs including New Jersey tea.
Other Known Ecological Value?
Yes. Rabbit, elk and deer browse New Jersey tea and turkey and quail eat the fruit. The small flowers attract numerous insects, especially bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. Butterflies and moths visit the flowers occasionally. These insects collect nectar from the flowers, although bees may also collect pollen.
Other Interesting Facts
Origin of Name: The common name, New Jersey tea, refers to the use of the leaves as a substitute for black tea by revolutionary soldiers.
Related Plant Species: New Jersey Tea doesn't seem to have any related species.
Use For Food/Medicine:
The red roots, made into a tea, have been used to soothe gastrointestinal upset, toothache, and respiratory problems.
References
September 10, 2024 by Molly Marquand. Gardener's path. Available from: https://gardenerspath.com/plants/ornamentals/grow-new-jersey-tea/
Wynia, R.L. 2010. Plant fact sheet for New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus). USDA-Natural Resources. Conservation Service, Manhattan Plant Materials Center. Manhattan, KS 66502. September 2010. Available from: https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_ceam.pdf
Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). Available from: https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/ceaame/all.html
https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/plant/Ceanothus-americanus