Herb To Know: Tea

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Tea: Camellia sinesis, Hardy to Zone 8 Shutterstock.com

We cherish tea for its timeless flavor, health benefits and social pleasures, yet rarely think of it outside of its box, bag or strainer. In truth, tea (Camellia sinensis) is a valuable plant and can be a prized garden element.

The most useful of the Camellias, the tea plant makes a pleasant, evergreen accent for gardens in the southern United States. In cooler climates, tea can be grown in a pot and moved indoors for winter.

A shrub or small tree native to the highlands of Asia, C. sinensis thrives in tropical and sub-tropical areas, growing 3 to 12 feet tall and as much as 12 feet across. Glossy, dark green, elliptical leaves cover the plant year-round. In late summer to fall, 1-inch creamy white flowers appear, each with a cluster of yellow stamens. Like other camellias, the blooms are delightfully scented.

Modern research is confirming what Asian herbalists have believed for thousands of years: Drinking tea has many health benefits. Recent studies suggest drinking tea can help prevent tooth decay, cancer and heart disease; and can help heal cuts, burns, bruises, insect bites, sunburn and swelling. For more, see “Leaves of Fortune in Your Tea Cup” on Page 46.

Tea in the Garden 

Tea plants thrive in rich, moist (but well-drained), acidic soil of 5 to 7 pH—similar to their native woodland soil. Add compost to garden soil before planting to boost organic matter and improve drainage. In very hot climates, choose a site that receives partial shade in the afternoon. Mulch with a 2- to 3-inch layer of bark to help retain moisture; water regularly the first year.

NEXT PAGE: More information on harvesting your tea and a sidebar on where tea is grown in America.