Today I came across on a gardening show, the stunning ethereal Ceanothus.
Why it is called New Jersey Tea is because during the war of the American Revolution ie. the war which resulted in the USA forming as a country independent from Britain, American dependence on tea, which was at the time mostly imported through the British commercial networks, had to be stopped.
The leaves of this wild shrub were used instead of Camellia Sinensis – which is the usual tea plant.
Now if you have your teas right, you know it’s actually rather difficult to find something to replace the usual tea leaf. There’s something about Camellia Sinensis that’s just right. It doesn’t push you over the top in any way. It’s uplifting and calming and holding together in a very balanced way.
