New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
[see-ah-NO-thuss ah-mer-ih-KAY-nus]

Deciduous Perennial Rounded, Spreading in the Rhamnaceae Family
A tough, drought-tolerant native shrub with fragrant white flower clusters and a Revolutionary War tea-substitute history.

Ceanothus americanus, commonly called New Jersey Tea, is a low, native North American shrub that forms rounded, spreading mounds 3 to 4 feet tall and up to 5 feet wide. Its simple, dark green leaves set off dense, rounded clusters of small, fragrant white flowers in late spring and summer. The species gets its common name from Revolutionary War-era colonists, who brewed its caffeine-free leaves as a substitute for imported tea. A deep, woody taproot makes it notably drought tolerant once established, though also difficult to transplant or divide.

Pros

  • Fragrant white flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
  • Deeply drought tolerant once established
  • Fixes nitrogen in the soil via root nodules
  • Host plant for Mottled Duskywing and Azure butterfly caterpillars

Cons

  • Readily browsed by deer, unlike many native shrubs
  • Deep taproot makes established plants very difficult to transplant
  • Susceptible to root rot in wet or poorly-drained soil
  • Can develop leaf spot or powdery mildew
Why Like A true Illinois native found in prairies, savannas, and open woodlands statewide, New Jersey Tea is a valuable low shrub layer plant in native plant communities. Its fragrant flower clusters draw bees, butterflies, wasps, and hummingbirds, and it serves as a larval host plant for the Mottled Duskywing and Spring/Summer Azure butterflies. Like other Ceanothus species, its roots host nitrogen-fixing bacteria, naturally enriching the soil around it -- a trait prized in restoration plantings on poor, sandy, or rocky sites.
Highlights
  • Historic tea-substitute plant from the American Revolution
  • Nitrogen-fixing roots improve surrounding soil
  • Reliable nectar source for a wide range of pollinators
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 3 - 5 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Drought tolerant once established thanks to its deep taproot; does not tolerate consistently wet or poorly-drained soil.
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Erosion Control, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Rock Garden, Groundcover, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Shrub, Tolerant of Hot Dry Site, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period May to August
Flower Color White
Foliage Color Dark Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 06/21 - 08/27

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!