Hudsonia ericoides is a type of plant that is also known by other names. Some of the synonyms for this plant include false heather, Hudson bay tea, and sweet fern. False heather describes the resemblance of the plant's leaves to those of the heather plant. Hudson bay tea refers to the traditional use of the plant's leaves as a tea for medicinal purposes by Native American tribes in the Hudson Bay region. Sweet fern is another name given to this plant due to the sweet fragrance released from its leaves when crushed. These synonyms all refer to the same plant species and are used interchangeably.