Camellia Tea Plant

Harvest leaves all summer long to dry and make into delightful rich green or black tea.

Camellia tea plant. Camellia sinensis or tea plant is used to make most traditional caffeinated teas including black tea white tea oolong tea and green tea. Camellias require acidic soil that drains well. The leaves are glossy green with serrated edges and are similar in both shape and size to a bay leaf. Camellia sinensis is a species of evergreen shrubs or small trees in the flowering plant family theaceae whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce tea.

These plants are often grown as ornamentals. The camellia sinensis plant is a small shrub about 3 to 7 feet 1 to 2 meters in height though it will grow taller if you don t prune it. It s the way it s grown and processed that determines the type of tea you end up with. Camellias have a reputation as being demanding and picky plants but much depends on how they are planted.

Our mission for tea at the acs is to educate gardeners and tea lovers alike about camellia sinensis. This plant originated near the southwest region of china as an evergreen forest shrub. After discovering the all but disappeared camellia cambodiensis a tea shrub native to cambodia sambath has made it his life long mission to champion the crop promoting its production for local supply and export and catalysing national tourism and economic development. All tea whether it is green black oolong silver white matcha etc are all from one plant species camellia sinensis.

Camellia sinensis is arguably the most popular and abundant camellia in the world. Although the japanese camellia is highly valued for its range of colors and availability of double rose like blooms the tea plant camellia offers fragrant blooms in a shrub that is a full zone hardier. In chinese camellias are called chá hua tea flower and chá is the name for tea. Common names include tea plant tea shrub and tea tree not to be confused with melaleuca alternifolia the source of tea tree oil or leptospermum scoparium the new zealand tea tree.

The drink is also known for its incredible antioxidants caffeine boost nutrients and other medicinal compounds. In the fall your tea shrub will flower with small white blossoms that have a delightful scent. Camellia sinensis also known as the tea plant is the plant that is responsible for the beverage we all know as tea. The flowers of the tea plant camellia camellia sinensis are white with yellow stamens and bloom earlier than japanese camellia camellia japonica shrubs which may bloom in winter or early spring.

If you take the time to plant this shrub appropriately your camellia plant maintenance will be significantly reduced.