Thumbnail Filmstrip of Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey Tea Images
This compact, dense shrub becomes covered with cylindrical clusters of tiny, fragrant, white flowers. A great plant for attracting butterflies, the dried leaves
were used as a tea substitute in the American Revolutionary War times, hence the common name "New Jersey Tea".
Hummingbirds are regular visitors, eating tiny insects
that pollinate the flowers. Easily grown from seed, Ceanothus americanus has thick, woody, red roots that grow deep into the soil and help it withstand droughts.
Colour: Blooms: Light: Height: Soil: Water:
White
Mid-Summer
Sun to Pt Shade
2' - 3'
Sand to Loam
Dry to Medium
All Wildflower Farm seeds are hardy through growing zone 3, organic and non-GMO.
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.
