Mountain Snowbell Ceanothus americanus
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- see-a-NOH-thus ah-mer-ih-KAY-nus
- Description
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New Jersey Tea is a deciduous shrub that is native to eastern and central North America and is found in all areas of NC. Its native habitat is open, deciduous woods, woodland edges, oak savannas, and meadows. It is low growing with a rounded crown and typically grows to 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide. In early summer it is covered with fragrant clusters of creamy white flowers.
New Jersey Tea grows best in well-drained sandy loam or rocky soils in full sun to partial shade. It is drought tolerant once established and tolerates road salt.
Because of its deep root system, it is great for use in erosion control on slopes, but this characteristic also makes it difficult to transplant. Use this shrub in foundations, as a specimen, shrub borders, native plantings or in groupings.
This plant was selected as the 2013 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
A great addition to a butterfly garden, this shrub is a food source for the larvae of the Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis), Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon), and Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta) butterflies.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: The New Jersey tea is susceptible to leaf spot and powdery mildew. Prone to root rot in wet soils and canker disease.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ceanothus
- Species:
- americanus
- Family:
- Rhamnaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used it as a tea to treat respiratory tract infections.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada to Central U.S.A., NC
- Distribution:
- USA: 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 Canada: MB , NB , ON , QC
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It is a larval host plant for Mottled Duskywing, Spring Azure, Summer Azure butterflies. The Mottled Duskywing have flights from April-September. Flowers are highly attractive for their nectar to butterflies, bees, moths, predatory wasps and other insects. Its seeds are eaten by songbirds. Members of the genus Ceanothus support the following specialized bees: Pseudopanurgus pauper and Pseudopanurgus virginicus.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- fire in the landscape. Heat and drought tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Tea can be made from the dried leaves.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 3-lobed seed capsules up to ¼" across. They start out green-red mature to dark brown or black and split open to eject 3 seeds several feet. Fruit displays from June to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 2-5 inch long panicles of 1/8 inch fragrant, 5-petaled, creamy-white flowers appear on terminal branches or in the upper leaf axils from May to June.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 3-4 inch long by 2 inches wide broad-ovate, to oblong-ovate leaves have cordate bases and pointed tips. Margins are smooth to finely serrate. The upper surface is medium to dark green with minute stiff hairs and has a wrinkled appearance along the veins. The lower leaf surface is pale green and pubescent (hairy). They are alternate, simple and turn yellow to tan in the fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Bark Description:
- Brown with shallow pits.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are light green to light yellow, terete, and pubescent becoming woody with age
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Predatory Insects
- Songbirds
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Poor Soil
- Urban Conditions
