Tennessee Smart Yards Native Plants
A comprehensive database of Tennessee native plants
New Jersey Tea
New Jersey TeaCeanothus americanusFull sun to light shade; medium to dry moisture level; tolerates a wide range of soils including sandy, rocky and sandy clays; moderately to slightly acid pH.2-3 feet height by 2-3 feet spread; blooms in June; white flowers; three-lobed, dry capsules mature in September-October and persist through winter.Growth Rate: Slow to mediumMaintenance: Infrequent disease and insect problems. Occasional hard pruning in winter keeps it looking good.Propagation: Germination code C(70). Seed germination can be tricky. Softwood cuttings root readily when collected in summer.Region: StatewideThis rather handsome shrub is the most adaptable Ceanothus for eastern gardens. It tolerates rain and humidity well as long as the soil is well drained. Although it will grow in shade, bloom quality is sacrificed. Very adaptable and can withstand inhospitable conditions due to its massive, woody roots. Difficult to transplant. Attracts birds and butterflies and is one of the best shrubs for butterfly gardens.shrub;sun;medium;clay |
 Photo Courtesy of Prairie Moon Nursery http://www.prairiemoon.com/  Photo Courtesy of Prairie Moon Nursery http://www.prairiemoon.com/  Photo Courtesy of Prairie Moon Nursery http://www.prairiemoon.com/  Photo Courtesy of Prairie Moon Nursery http://www.prairiemoon.com/ |
Tennessee Smart Yards Native Plants 
https://www.wildflowerfarm.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=83#:~:text=pour%20over%20seed.-,Soak%20for%2024%20hours.,seed%2C%20soak%20for%2024%20hours.
SEED GERMINATION INFO
Indoors: Cold, moist stratification. Start at least 5 weeks before outdoor night temperatures are reliably in the 10 C (50 F) range. Bring water to a boil and pour over seed. Soak for 24 hours. Mix the seed with a slightly moistened, sterile, soil-less growing mix. Put this in a labelled, sealed plastic bag and store in a refrigerator for one day. The next day place this in the freezer for one day. Repeat this for one week, alternating between the fridge and the freezer. After stratifying, plant seed 0.32 cm (1/8 inch) deep in pots. Keep moist but not soggy and very warm (21 C – 70 F). When seedlings are 5 cm (2 inches) tall or more, transplant into the garden spaced 30 cm (1 foot) apart.
Outdoors: Bring water to a boil and pour over seed. Soak for 24 hours. Plant seed 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep in a prepared seed bed in late fall so that the seed overwinters and germinates naturally in spring.
Outdoors Alternative: In late fall through to mid-winter bring water to a boil and pour over seed, soak for 24 hours. Fill plastic pots with a slightly moistened, sterile, soil-less growing mix. Plant seed 3 mm (1/8 inch) deep in pots and label the pots. Place them outdoors in an area where they will experience the snow and cold of winter. The seed will germinate in the pots in spring as the weather warms up. Be sure to water the pots regularly in spring and once the plants are 5 cm (2 inches) tall, transplant them into your garden.
Why is this plant difficult to transplant? I live in Somerville, TN, West TN, Zone 7b, and would love to have a row of the New Jersey Tea shrubs. The above article says it’s difficult to transplant. Does this include buying from a nursery, then planting in-ground? Or just don’t try to dig one up and transplant it elsewhere? I need to know as much as possible before trying to find/buy some of these beauties. Also, when is the best time to plant in-ground? Would it be feasible to plant one in a Lg container? Thanks so much for your best info! Trish Ferrer
I can see why you would like to grow this plant. I will share what knowledge I have but I have to admit that I tried to grow it and could not keep it alive. They are hard to transplant because they have such a deep taproot. That means you should definitely avoid digging it in the wild (which is bad idea for many other reasons) and probably the younger the plant you start with the better. Definitely avoid any pot-bound plants from a nursery. I found two places to buy it –3 inch pots from Prairie Nursery (mail order) and 1 gallon pots from Overhill Gardens ($25 & pick-up only). If you buy potted from a nursery, I would be sure to ask how long the plant has been in the pot. The best time to plant it is in early spring after all risk of frost has passed.
This plant variety did not make it for our yard, zone 7A, through the polar vortex of 2022. Do not think it is as hardy as people are saying. When asked about it at Overhill Gardens, where we had bought the baby plants, the reply was that it’s not always easy to get this one growing. By comparison, we had one dead boxwood out of 25 plants that are now 50 years old from that same polar vortex. We would not recommend replacing boxwoods or any other significant bush with New Jersey Tea, based on our recent experience.
Excellent feedback! Thank you.