Ceanothus americanus
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Clusters of small fragrant white flowers cover this compact native shrub in early summer, frothy enough to read as a cloud from a distance. Ceanothus americanus grows 3 to 4 feet tall and wide in part sun, hardy from Zone 4 through Zone 8.
The wildlife value is unusually high for a shrub this size. It feeds mottled duskywing, spring azure, and summer azure caterpillars, and the flowers draw a wide range of native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
The name comes from the American Revolution, when colonists dried the leaves as a substitute for imported tea.
New Jersey tea puts down a deep woody root system that makes it drought-proof once established and nearly impossible to move afterward, so choose the spot and leave it. It wants well-drained soil and handles poor dry ground, and it fixes its own nitrogen. Deer leave it alone.
Height 3'- 4' Spread 3'- 4'
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8
Lowest Temperatures -30°F to -20°F
Part sun - 4 to 6 hours of direct sun, with some afternoon sun
Mottled Duskywing, Spring Azure, Summer Azure
AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
Fragrant
