Alkaloids from the root have been demonstrated to exert a mild effect in lowering blood pressure. New plants may be created through planting the seed, dividing plants or taking cuttings from an existing shrub. CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Ceanothus americanus grows best in full sun or light shade in well drained average to dry soil. Make sure that your planting location drains well to help discourage root rot from starting as this species does not tolerate wet feet.Â. Please check back soon. Spiraea tomentosa (Steeplebush) is a suckering deciduous shrub bearing erect, unbranched stems clad with elliptic to ovate, medium to dark green leaves, 3 in. At the end of spring, this shrub will start to produce clusters of fragrant white flowers at the ends of the branches. The blossoms and roots can be used to make dyes. Lasting over a moderately extended period, they rise from the leaf axils at the end of the new shoots and attract butterflies in search of nectar. TRIVIA:  Bees, wasps, flies, beetles, hairstreak butterflies and other pollinators seek nectar and pollen from the flowers. ; Camellia sinensis var. It is best planted in gardens located within USDA Zones 4 to 8, and it bears clusters of white flowers at the start of summer. When roots are established, the upper half of the plant begins to flourish. It works well as part of a mixed bed, in a foundation planting and as a ground holder for rocky slopes or a ground cover for thin, dry and rocky soils. The list was compiled with input from nursery and landscape professionals, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension personnel, and Rutgers Master Gardeners in northern New Jersey. It can be planted in small groups or scattered through the garden. As with other Ceanothus shrubs, they attract hummingbirds, butterflies and birds. Plus, if you have a gardening question, one of our helpful and friendly gardening experts can help answer it. Leaves are oblong with an attractive rough surface and a border of tiny teeth. New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) is a shrub that stays fairly short. Full sun to partial shade is needed for this plant. Ceanothus americanus is visited by hummingbirds, which eat the tiny insects that pollinate the flowers. New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) is a beautiful native flowering shrub rarely seen in the U.S. East, but it’s a valuable landscaping plant because it stays low without pruning and thrives in dry, lean or rocky soils.New Jersey tea is a plant for that full-sun area of your yard where nothing seems to grow well without constant watering and fertilizer. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. During the Revolutionary War, dried leaves of Ceanothus americanuswere used as a substitute for tea; the leaves are, however, devoid of caffeine. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Noteworthy Characteristics Ceanothus americanus , commonly called New Jersey tea, is a compact, dense, rounded shrub which typically grows 2-3' tall (less frequently to 4'). 910 Kings Highway Woodstown, NJ 08098 long (10-20 cm), packed with tiny pink to rose-purple flowers, appear at the tips of the branches. COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS:  Try pairing with Asclepias tuberosa, Echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago speciosa, and Sorghastrum nutans. Gardeners should not collect New Jersey Tea in the wild and should be certain that all native plants purchased for home gardens have been nursery-propagated, not wild-collected. New Jersey Tea is a tidy short shrub with white lace-like flowers. Use this as part of a wildlife-friendly garden. Ceanothus americanus is another shrubby summer blooming wildflower that could be substituted in some situations. The fruit is a dry type called a capsule that contains three seeds. Root tea used for colds fevers snakebites bronchitis dysentary and as a tonic. Since this shrub tends to form suckers, plan on pruning them away early if you do not want the plant to spread. Ceanothus americanus [NEW JERSEY TEA] $5.75 : Temporarily out of stock. Names that are associated with this plant include New Jersey tea, Indian tea, mountain sweet, snowbrush, red-root, wild snowball, redroot, soapbloom, mountain sweet, redroot, mountain snowball, and mountain-sweet. COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS: Try pairing Hypericum prolificum with Aster oblongifolius, Hibiscus moscheutos, Monarda fistulosa, Panicum virgatum, Rudbeckia hirta or Silphium perfoliatum. The individual florets are about ¼” wide with 5 petals and a pleasing fragrance. More Detail. A few of these placed in a garden will compliment many other summer blooming flowers such as Butterfly Milkweed and Coneflowers. Johnson's Nursery. so a tea-like drink was made from the leaves of this shrub. While the flowers are remarkable on their own, New Jersey tea is a nectar source and a caterpillar and larva host, attracting an array of beautiful butterflies. Add a shallow saucer or old birdbath filled with sand, gravel and water for a butterfly “watering hole.” Hardiness rating is from USDA Zones 4-10. The foliage turns golden-yellow in fall. A truly garden worthy hybrid that combines strong growth, dark green leaves, hardiness and compact habit. Butterfly Milkweed Narrow-leaved Coneflower Prairie Coreopsis Prairie Dropseed. Orange Jubilee (Orange Bells) Plant Profile. The foliage is serrate and reticulate with the veins marked by shallow grooves. A tea made from the root (Red Root Tea) proved to be a viable substitute after expensive Indian Tea was dumped overboard during the Boston Tea Party. Sku #7443. The Butterfly Berm is an easy family project using colorful, nectar-rich natives, such as New Jersey Tea, Prairie Blazing Star and Butterfly Weed. The recommended zones for this shrub are 4 to 8. It originally comes from eastern North America. Caterpillars of several moths, azure butterflies and skippers feed on the foliage. A colorful sight in many parts of the country, fireweed thrives in open meadows, along streams, roadsides, and forest edges. Highly versatile and tolerant of dry and infertile soils. It should not need much pruning otherwise. Whenever a question of good companion plants arises, we find it helpful to learn more about your centerpiece plant, in this case, Bearded Iris. Benefits pollinators, drought tolerant. The boiling water treatment (Germination Code: B) helps break open the hard seed coat. Plants require bright light and will decline in its absence. New Jersey Tea (Ceonothus americanus) plant is excellent for attracting hummingbirds. A synonym is Ceanothus ovatus. Another example of the genus is the blue blossom ceanothus. Pollinators will find easy, ample foraging on the blooms, and shrubs are often host plants for lepidoptera as well. Pollinators flock to the blooms. This is a useful feature, though, if you are trying to quickly populate a wildlife or native garden. Plants range from Ontario to Minnesota and down to Texas and east to Quebec, Maine and Florida. New Jersey: Vegetable Planting Calendar Planting vegetable seeds or transplants at the correct time is important to getting the most out of your garden. As a result they tend to get off to a slow start. New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) Semi-Shade. Size: 4.5” pot Leaf spot, powdery mildew, Verticillium wilt, mushroom root rots, and dieback are diseases that you may see on this shrub. The scientific name used for this shrub is Ceanothus americanus. Rating Content; Positive: On Apr 9, 2010, denimlady from Sterling Heights, MI wrote: This wonderful plant is a must for all serious butterfly gardeners. Companion Plants. Seeds should be stratified (placed in cold storage) and scarified (outer seed coat broken open a little) before planting to improve germination rates. MEADOWSWEET BENCHCARD. We can certainly do our part in locating companion plants native to New Jersey, We feel that your idea of grasses and small shrubs is the most practical solution. products new description - Popular beverage tea was made from leaves in the past. COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS: Try pairing with Asclepias tuberosa, Echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia hirta, Solidago speciosa, and Sorghastrum nutans. Ceanothus americanus derives its’ common name of the New Jersey Tea shrub because the leaves were used as a tea substitute at the turn of the 17th century and again during the American Civil War. Plants average 3’ tall with an equal spread. Plant two to three feet apart to create a low growing, drought tolerant hedge. Public Inventory. New Jersey Tea, Indian Tea, Mountain Sweet, Wild Pepper, Walpole Tea, Wild Snowball, Redroot, Ceanothus americanus var. Roots have be used medicinally as a blood thinner. Green tea, for example, comes from the young, top leaves and buds in spring. Plants are indigenous to mesic prairies, blackland prairies, savannas, limestone glades, open upland woods, clearings, woods edges, shores and barrens. HABITAT & HARDINESS:  Ceanothus americanus occurs in Eastern North America. Baptisia tinctoria has similar cultural needs and can be substituted if needed. The name New Jersey tea came about during the American Revolution. Mammals (elk, deer, rabbits and cattle), Wild Turkey and Bobwhite Quail graze on the plant. For more information on this plant, visit the USDA PLANTS Database: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CEAM, © 2020 | New Moon Nursery, LLC - Stacey B., Vineland, New Jersey Great question! New Jersey Tea is one of the host plants of the Spring Azure. Ballota pseudodictamnus. Positive: On Apr 30, 2008, frostweed from Josephine, Arlington, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: New Jersey Tea, Redshank, Wild Snowball, Mountain Sweet Ceanothus americanus, is Native to Texas and many other States. Since New Jersey tea forms large sturdy roots, it is able to handle periods of drought well and is a good choice for soils that are sandy or rocky. Hearty and rather easy to care for, if you plant this shrub, … Foliage is resistant to insects and but is browsed by deer and other mammels. Ceanothus americanus. LANDSCAPE USES:  This is a good choice for a Wildlife Garden, Prairie or Dry Meadow. Excess shade or competition from neighboring plants can inhibit growth and cause decline. Tea was a bit scarce at the time (after all, imported tea tariffs helped lead to the start of that war!) Plants are also used as Butterfly Nectar Plants, Butterfly Host Plants or as part of a Grouping or Mass Planting. It can crack open forcefully on its own (much like Wisteria) and release the seeds away from the plant. This Buckthorn Family member is one of the few non-legumes that can fix nitrogen. This gives the plant an edge especially in a disturbed site. Young plants expend a good bit of energy producing deep roots. Zones: 4 – 8 Friends(of(the(ArboretumNative(Plant(Sale(! Native Americans used preparations of root bark for medicinal purposes, a practice that continues today amongst herbalists. long (7 cm), densely hairy beneath. In summer, plants are adorned with many white rounded flower panicles. NEW JERSEY TEA Ceonothus americanus MHP June July NINEBARK Physocarpus opulifolia MHP May June SHADBUSH Amelanchier spp MHP Apr May SWEET PEPPERBUSH Clethra alnifolia MHP June July SWEETSPIRE Itea virginica MHP May June Shrubby habit with showy white flowers in clusters from June - Sept. Good butterfly plant. Establishment can be tricky in some areas because the browsers love it to death. Root alkaloid is mildly hypotensive; root contains up to 8% tannin. This plant can be used in herbal medicine and as a dye. Mature capsules become dark brown and split ejecting their seed several feet. Plant two to three feet apart to create a low-growing, drought-tolerant native hedge. The flowers transform into rose colored 3-lobed seed capsules. Companion Plants: Red Milkweed, Redosier Dogwood, Grey Dogwood, New Jersey Tea. For retail sources of nursery-propagated plants and responsibly collected seeds, visit https://vnps.org , email info@vnps.org, or call 540-837-1600. The leaves are evenly spaced and are covered with woolly white hairs. According to New Jersey tea information, new twigs grow in yellow and are attractive in winter. Fireweed is a tall showy wildflower that grows from sea level to the subalpine zone. The boiling water treatment (Germination Code: B) helps break open the hard seed coat. If you do want to do a little trimming, do so at the end of winter before the blossoming starts. New Jersey Tea is one of the host plants of the Spring Azure. Low-growing, Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) is a bushy, upright, deciduous shrub boasting oval clusters of tiny, fragrant, white flowers in spring. Site produced by Clarity Connect, Inc, http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CEAM. Valued by Native American tribes for its medicinal uses and by early colonists as a tea substitute, the New Jersey tea shrub today is prized in the home landscape. Tag Cloud. sinesis originates from China and is hardy in USDA Zones 7-9, sun to part-shade. The following is a list of landscape plants rated according to their resistance to deer damage. The name New Jersey tea came about during the American Revolution. At maturity, the New Jersey tea will be 3 to 6 feet tall and wide, forming into a rounded shape. Chelidonium majus [GREATER CELANDINE] $5.00 Chelidonium majus (Seed) [GREATER CELANDINE (seed)] $3.50 Taproots are red and can become very large and muscular. There are two main varieties which require warmer growing zones: Camellia sinensis var. intermedius, Ceanothus americanus var. Transplantation can be difficult, though, because of those roots. The foliage of broad-ovate, rich, glossy green leaves, 4 in. P: 888-998-1951 | F: 888-998-1952, Get Wild, Grow Native Summer flower panicles are borne on terminal growth. Problems may include aphids, caterpillars, lacebugs, leafhoppers, lygus bugs, mealybugs, root-maggot flies, and scales. pitcheri, Ceanothus intermedius. Because of its extremely deep taproot, an established New Jersey tea shrub can tolerate drought conditions, but does not transplant well. New Jersey tea During June and July this low-growing, rounded shrub is a cloud of white flowers; use it in masses for best affect, as a tall ground cover, or on steep slopes. assamica from Assam, India, is a tropical plant suitable for USDA Zone 10b. Companion Plants. …. Delicate soft fuzzy misty blue blue flowers appear in spring, followed by red seed capsules that extend garden interest in late summer. New Jersey Tea features glossy leaves, numerous bright white flowers and a mounding shape that make this compact shrub a popular garden member. Please check back soon. In summer whorls of tiny, pink blooms appear. The dark green leaves are ovate, glossy and 2 to 4 inches long with serrated edges. Butterflies attracted to this species include the spring azure (Celastrina ladon), summer azure (Celastrina neglecta), pallid swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon), dreamy duskywing (Erynnis icelus), Lorquin's orange-tip admiral (Limenitis lorquini) and mottled duskywing (Erynnis martialis) as well as many other butterflies and moths. Hummingbirds and other birds like to visit this shrub. The luxuriant glossy leaves and bright white flowers make this durable shrub a real winner. In the Midwest they have been known to break a plow. Move it while it is young for the best results. Discover gardening made easy. Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)By Edna Vizgirdas. The … Host plants for monarch caterpillars are most effective when planted next to their favorite butterfly nectar plants that bloom during the monarch migration such as Blazing Stars, New England Aster, Ironweed, and Goldenrods. This shrub does feature red roots as other names suggest. ), Phacelia spp., pale beard-tongue, wild hya-cinth, common cinquefoil, golden alexanders blackberries and ... GARDEN PLANT NATIVE POLLINATORS NATIVE COMPANION PLANTS Clockwise from top left are a native spring polyester bee (Colletes inaequalis) on redbud flowers, southeastern blueberry bee (Hab-