16 November 2010

The Tea Tree: Camellia Sinensis


Tea flowers
 My tea tree is in full bloom, the fragrant flowers are white with yellow stamens.

Camellia Sinensis is the main ingredient for the second most widely consumed beverage in the world. It will still be a couple of years before I can brew my own tea! With smaller leaves and flowers, Camellia sinensis should make a good Bonsai.
The tea plant is native to Southeast Asia. All types of tea (green, black, and oolong) are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant using different methods. Fresh leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant are steamed to produce green tea.
Making Tea and Other Products from Camellia Sinensis

Camellia Sinensis

fragrant flowers are white
 with yellow stamens


For about 400 years Camellia sinensis has been grown for tea in Charleston, SC
Charleston Tea Plantation




   



      Handbook of Green Tea and Health Research (Food and Beverage Consumption and Health)        Camille: The Lady of the Camellias

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful.
    I bought a few tea tree seeds but I don't know how to properly grow them. I have tried putting one seed in a flower pot and water it with rain water, but it's still not growing.

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  2. Camellia seeds should be sowed immediately after harvest and should sprout in two to three weeks. Their germinating capability declines if kept dry. The embryo shrinks and an air space inside the seed coat occurs. If seeds float in water there is a reduced germination capability. Older seeds may take up to a year to sprout.

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