50 Seeds New Jersey Tea Ceanothus americanus Native Shrub

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) is a hardy North American native shrub valued for its compact, rounded habit and abundant clusters of small, fragrant white flowers that appear in early to midsummer. The blooms are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators, and the plant later develops small, dry seed capsules. Its dark green foliage turns soft yellow in autumn, giving it multi-season garden interest. This adaptable shrub works well in native plant gardens, pollinator plantings, mixed borders, and naturalized areas.

New Jersey Tea is a low-maintenance deciduous shrub with a deep, fibrous root system that makes it tolerant of dry conditions once established. The flowers can be used in fresh arrangements, while the plant itself serves as an ornamental and habitat-friendly addition to meadows, cottage gardens, and wildlife plantings. It responds well to light pruning and can be grown as a small hedge or specimen. Plants are slow to establish at first but are long-lived once rooted. Seeds benefit from scarification and stratification to improve germination.

Species: Ceanothus americanus
Variety: New Jersey Tea
Type: Native deciduous shrub
Plant_Habit: Compact, rounded, multi-stemmed
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained, sandy to loamy, tolerates poor soil
Days_to_Harvest: Not applicable
Zones: 4-8
Germination: Scarify seed coat and cold stratify 60-90 days before sowing
Sowing: Surface sow and press lightly into soil, do not bury deeply
Spacing: 24-36 inches apart
Notes: Drought tolerant once established; slow to establish; long-lived