New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
White flower clusters in late spring on a compact shrub, a top pollen source for bumblebees. Thrives in dry, rocky, sunny spots that stump most shrubs.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
One of the top pollinator shrubs for dry, sunny spots. nitrogen-fixing, deer-resistant, and irreplaceable for several native bee specialists.
New Jersey Tea was used as a tea substitute by colonists during the American Revolution, hence the name, but what's remarkable to us is how good it is as a garden plant. The white flower clusters open in late spring and early summer on a neat, compact shrub that's one of the top native pollen sources for bumblebees in our region. Rare native bees and Merton blue butterflies specifically depend on this plant. It's a nitrogen fixer that builds soil fertility, and it thrives in exactly the dry, rocky, sunny spots that stump most shrubs. Rocky slopes, thin soils, road cuts. New Jersey Tea handles conditions where more pampered plants fail. The dried seed capsules have an interesting popping mechanism for seed dispersal that makes them satisfying to pop by hand in fall.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown new jersey tea propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 24–48 in wide
- Bloom time
- Late spring, early summer
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 4–8
- Family
- Rhamnaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and Central North America
Care notes for new jersey tea.
Full sun in dry to average, well-drained soil. Drought-tolerant once established. avoid overwatering or rich soils which promote leggy growth. Deep taproot makes transplanting difficult once established; plant in permanent location. Prune lightly after bloom if shaping is desired. No serious pests or diseases.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside new jersey tea.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.