Flower ID: IMG_6158.JPG-06-06-2023 Flower name (scientific): Ceanothus herbaceus Rafinesque PY: 1808. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) say-an-OH-thus her-BA-se-us (or her-buh-KEE-us) Flower name (common): Inland New Jersey Tea Family name (common): Buckthorn Family name (scientific): Rhamnaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Linnaeus' re-use of the Greek name keanothus, a term used by Dioscorides and Theophrastus for some other spiny plant. Specific epithet: Latin for herbaceous, meaning not woody. Common name origin: Inland probably refers to the absence of this species from New Jersey and some other eastern states, though it is native in the midwestern and central US states. New Jersey tea comes from the use of the leaves of Ceanothus americanus during the American revolutionary war as a substitute for imported black tea (Hogg, p. 237, 1858). Flower description: Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches (5 to 10 mm) Petal count: 5 Color: white Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-spherical Plant description: Size: 12 to 36 inches (30 to 90 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic to lanceolate, sometimes ovate or oblanceolate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): May to June Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Prairies, forests, sandy or rocky soil, dry, semi shade to sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) has some similarity to Ceanothus herbaceus. C. americanus has leaves that are ovate to oblong-ovate shaped, and 1 to 8 cm long by 0.5 to 5 cm wide, whereas C. herbaceus has leaves that are elliptic to lanceolate shaped, and 1 to 6 cm long by 0.5 to 2 cm wide. Ethnobotany: The Chippewa used this plant as a cough remedy (Densmore, p. 340, 1928). Densmore uses the old synonym name Ceanothus ovatus for this plant. The Lakota used the plant to prepare a beverage tea (Moerman, p. 145, 1998). Latitude: 44.709812 Longitude: -91.015817 Altitude: 282.70 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Crawford, Dane, Door, Douglas, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Monroe, Oconto, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Vernon, Washburn, Waukesha, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AR, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (MB, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na Wetland Status (NC): Not listed Wetland Status (MW): Not listed