NEW JERSEY TEA (Redroot) 



Ceanothus americanus L. 



June - July The army of George Washington had a hard time keep- 

 Sandy woods ing supplies coming through to the lines. Times were 

 difficult and the pinch of hunger and cold made itself 

 felt too often for the good of army morale. But something hot to drink, 

 something aromatic and something that reminded men as closely as pos- 

 sible of the politically unpopular Oriental tea on which the British set 

 a high tax. something like hot tea ])oured steaming after a long march, 

 was vital to the army. They wanted hot tea, and they got it — Labrador 

 tea if they were near the sphagnum bogs of New England, and yaupon 

 and cassena holly tea if they were in tlu^ south, sweet gale tea along the 

 coasts, catni]) tea or goldourod tea or sumac tea. or tea made from sassa- 

 fras or sweet birch. lUit the tea made from the dried or green leaves of 

 New Jersey tea, it is said, pleased the weary soldiers and was used exten- 

 sively during the American Revolution. It also was used in colonial 

 households which were in sympathy with the Cause. Many years later 

 during the Civil War. the same phmt provided tea in times of shortage 

 or blockade. 



New Jersey tea. in spite of its eastern luiinc. is found rather fre- 

 quently in the dry In'lly woods of Illinois. Here it makes a low luishy 

 shrub seldom more than two oi- three feet high, with many slender woody 

 stems springing from the base. It has dark green, veiny, oval leaves and 

 clusters of fluffy white llowei's. lik(> tufts of white foam or ivory snow- 

 flakes clustered on twig-tips. The flowers aic fragrant and attract many 

 kinds of butteiilies and other insects. The deep ruddy root is used to 

 make a bright red dye ; it gives the plant its other common name, redroot. 



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