What in the Pine Bush is that?
June 16, 2025
New Jersey tea is deciduous shrub of barrens and prairie habitats that likes sunny conditions but can survive in partial shade.
By Pammi Price
New Jersey tea is deciduous shrub of barrens and prairie habitats that likes sunny conditions but can survive in partial shade. It grows in well-drained soils and has a thick taproot that helps it to survive both drought and fire. The clusters of tiny white blossoms appear in late spring through early summer and are visited by a diversity of pollinators including the over 200 native bee species living in the Albany Pine Bush. New Jersey tea also supports predatory and parasitic insects that prey on pests, so it helps control pest insects without using chemicals.
Fun and cool fact(s) about New Jersey Tea:
- New Jersey Tea is the larval food source for Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis) and Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) butterflies.
- New Jersey Tea was used medicinally by Native Americans.
- New Jersey Tea has a beneficial symbiotic relationship with a type of bacteria called Frankia. This bacteria helps the plant get nitrogen which is essential for the plant’s survival!
- New Jersey Tea was used as a substitute for imported tea during the American Revolution. It was once called “red root tea.”
- Please remember, to never take plants from the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.
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