During the American Revolutionary War, colonists used its dried leaves as a substitute for imported tea, giving the plant its common name.
Like legumes, this plant fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility for surrounding plants.
This plant develops a very deep root, which makes it extremely drought-tolerant once established—but hard to transplant.
In addition to summer blooms, it has attractive foliage, woody stems for winter texture, and seed capsules that persist into fall.
During the American Revolutionary War, colonists used its dried leaves as a substitute for imported tea, giving the plant its common name.
Like legumes, this plant fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility for surrounding plants.
This plant develops a very deep root, which makes it extremely drought-tolerant once established—but hard to transplant.
In addition to summer blooms, it has attractive foliage, woody stems for winter texture, and seed capsules that persist into fall.
Bloom: mid-summer
Habitats: barrens with scrubby vegetation; gravel prairies; hill prairies; limestone glades; mesic to dry black soil prairies; rocky upland forests; sand prairies; sandy savannas
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: mesic to slightly dry
Plant type (height): shrub (up to 3.25 feet)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: loam; rocky material; sand
