A small shrub of the prairie and savanna, New Jersey Tea prefers mesic to dry soils. Pretty delicate clusters of white flowers bloom beginning in May, forming dark seedheads that eject the seeds at maturity. Many species of pollinators visit this plant and it the larval host for several moths and skippers. Some upland game birds consume the seeds. Revolutionary War soldiers used the leaves for tea, while Native Americans used the roots and bark for medicine and the flowers for soap.