June Shrub of the Month-New Jersey Tea

New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) is one of those plants that seems to be overlooked. I’m not sure why it’s not more common in the trade since most of its traits seem to fit the checklist many home gardeners have pertaining to landscape plants: dwarf habit-3-4’ high and wide, fragrant, showy flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies, doesn’t require consistent pruning or trimming, no significant pest or disease problems. So why aren’t there as many New Jersey tea shrubs in our landscapes as there are burning bushes that, besides being invasive, offer no-showy flowers, don’t attract the “fun” pollinators, and require heavy-duty, never-ending maintenance?

I have no answers to this question, but I do have actions…I’m telling you; New Jersey tea is about as perfect a shrub for St. Louis as you will get.

The preference is full to partial sun in well-drained soil; the rockier or sandier, the better. Once established, New Jersey tea is very drought-resistant and can be used for erosion control on sandy, loose slopes. The white flowers show May through July and are a magnet for pollinators.

New Jersey tea is what they call “fire-adapted,” meaning the top can be killed off by forest or prairie fires, but it will resprout from the roots.

Perhaps the popularity problem lies in the name. “New Jersey” might bring to mind a street-tough punk with a Jersey accent that picks on the meeker plants in your border…but actually, the name is a reference to the Revolutionary War period when “real” tea was taxed in New England, and Ceanothus leaves were used to make a caffeine-free substitute. So, picture that punk with the Jersey accent sitting in a wing-back chair and enjoying a cup of tea while he pores over garden catalogs from where else? The Garden State.

What I love about this plant;

-It’s native!

-Compact size 3-4’ high and wide.

-Showy white flowers that attract pollinators.

-No major pests or diseases. (Occasional powdery mildew or leaf spot.)

-Perfect for tough spots like slopes.

-Drought-tolerant once established.

-Fire-adapted for areas like native prairies with frequent burns.

-Low maintenance!

What’s not so great:

-Can be hard to transplant-pick a good spot and let it be.

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2024, All rights reserved.