New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Other Common Names: Mountain Sweet, Wild Snowball, Mountain Snowbell, Red Root
Plant Details
USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 4a-9b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub
Species: Ceanothus americanus
Height at Maturity: 2-3′ depending on pruning
Width at Maturity: 3-5′ depending on pruning
Spacing: 3′ for solid hedges; 7’+ for space between plants
Spacing: 3′ for solid hedges; 7’+ for space between plants
Flower Color: White, sometimes Soft Pink
Flower Size: Small rays in 2 to 5″ long clusters
Flowering Period: Late Spring and Summer
Flower Type: Rays in panicles 2 to 5″ long
Fragrant Flowers: Yes
Foliage Color: Glossy Grey-Green
Fragrant Foliage: No
Berries: Seeds
Berry Color: Maroon to Black
Sun Needs: Full Sun, Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade or Filtered Sun, All Day Filtered Sun
Water Needs: Average, Low when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Dry when established
Soil pH: 4.5 – 7.0 (Very Acid to Neutral)
Maintenance / Care: Low
Resistances: Deer, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity
Intolerances: Constantly Soggy Soil
Attracts: Visual Attention, Butterflies, Birds, Hummingbirds, Beneficial Insects
Description
A beautiful North American native plant, New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) is an easy-to-grow perennial shrub featuring abundant snowball-shape clusters of showy, fragrant and long-lasting white to soft pink flowers in late spring and summer that stand out beautifully against the low mound of glossy, grey-green foliage. All grown up this shrub might reach 3 feet high by 4 to 5 feet wide. New Jersey Tea develops a deep tap root which makes it a fine selection for use in xeriscape gardens or on dry slopes.
The name New Jersey Tea was coined during the American Revolution because its leaves were used as a substitute for imported tea. If you’re a tea lover and enjoy brewing your own, the New Jersey Tea is sure to please. The dried leaves make a rather tasty, caffeine-free tea.
Wildlife Value
Ceanothus americanus is a larval host plant for Mottled Duskywing, Spring Azure and Summer Azure butterflies. The Mottled Duskywing have flights from April to September. Flowers are highly attractive for their nectar to butterflies, moths and many types of beneficial insects and the seeds are eaten by songbirds.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing to approximately 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, the New Jersey Tea can be grown as a shrub, hedge or groundcover. As a shrub, it is ideal for use as a specimen, in grouping, or as a low hedge or background. Grows well in containers that can be situated on decks and patios. A fine addition to butterfly gardens, pollinator gardens, native gardens, cottage gardens and sunny woodland borders.
Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for solid hedge; 6+ feet or more apart for space between plants
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4a, where the Large Leaf Tea Plant is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
The New Jersey Tea adapts well to various soil types however prefers a moist but well-drained acidic soil that is rich in organic matter. Constantly soggy soil is a slow killer. In general they bloom better in partial shade with some shelter from the hot afternoon sun. That said, this species is known to tolerate more sun, even full sun.
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We couldn’t find the plant at our local nursery. Wilson Bros Gardens had them in stock (and free shipping). The first NJ Tea I ordered was damaged during shipping. After taking a picture of the broken branch and contacting Wilson Bros, I had a response the next day and a new NJ Tea plant the following week. The NJ Tea is the central focus of my daughter’s native garden bed. Thanks Wilson Bros for making the damaged during shipping right!————————————————–Thanks for the photo, so sorry about the damage, but glad we were able to fix the problem. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope your daughter enjoys it for years to come! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
Just wanted you to know that the New Jersey tea plant, Star Jasmine & Carolina Jasmine all arrived in great shape & I planted them yesterday. Enjoyed reading about your company.
Your 3 gal. marigold bush sounds great, but I’ve about blown my planting budget for the year. I’ve ordered from you, Eden Bros., Ison’s, Brecks, American Meadows & a couple of other places.
I’m 75, but may have to go back to work in order to support my planting addiction.———————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Your 3 gal. marigold bush sounds great, but I’ve about blown my planting budget for the year. I’ve ordered from you, Eden Bros., Ison’s, Brecks, American Meadows & a couple of other places.
I’m 75, but may have to go back to work in order to support my planting addiction.———————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂



































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