Camellia sinensis

Camellia sinensis

Common name: tea camellia

Family: Theaceae

Leaf: 4-15 cm long, very dark green, shiny, often with a hairy underside, elliptic, alternate

Flower: occuring in clusters of 2-4 flowers, white with 5 petals with very showy yellow stamens, blooming in the fall

Fruit: capsule

Habit: evergreen shrub/small tree, upright bushy ; Form:  broad, low form

Height: in cultivation for tea, it is usually maintained to about 6', in the wild, can gown up to 30'

Culture: Hardy in USDA zones 7-9. Plant in full sun to part shade, in moist, well-drained acidic soils. Excellent self- seeder. Can be kept need and low and wide for tea production and cultivation. A farily hardy plant.

Uses: landscape and garden plant, screens, hedges, foundation plants. And last but not least- for tea!

Origin: Unknown. C. sinensis var sinensis is probably native to W. Yunnan, while C. sinenesis var. sinensis is native to the warmer parts of India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and S. China

tea plantation