Isn’t it interesting that the tea plant, which is an evergreen shrub, can grow to a height of sixty feet or more. I only picture it as those lovely tiered green rows of tea bushes growing at a height of about three to five feet (for ease of harvesting).
Those Camellia sinensis bushes thrive in tropical and semitropical climates with abundant rainfall. The best teas grow at high elevations of 3,000 to 6,000 ft. When the new leaves and buds sprout it is called a flush and early spring first flush teas can be expensive.
It is also interesting to me that there are around 2,000 sub-species of tea. Tea connoisseurs can actually identify the different varietals. I’m afraid my palate will probably not develop past discerning whether the tea pleases my taste buds, but that’s okay. As long as I have a good cuppa to enjoy – I’m good.
5 comments:
hello! It was my stepbrother who is a horticulturalist who first told me that the tea plant is related to the flowering camelia that we have in south carolina. I love learning more about the tea bush. Thank you.
Hello Luv, just wanted to drop by and thank you for joining to sip tea with me. Hope you stop by often. See you soon and thanks again
Thank you for stopping by and happy Midsummer to you, too! .......Another herring lover, we don't eat it so often but it is perfect summer food with some new potatoes, sour creme and some fresh dill, yumm! I had no idea that the tea plant could grow that tall, that is amazing! Have a great Friday!
;0) Helene
Learning all about tea is making me thirsty... and there goes the kettle now!
I must add another comment. Next time you are in the Charleston, SC area, you may want to visit the Caw Caw Interpretive Center where the understory of the forest is made up of tea bushes gone wild. Visit my blog for a description of our visit there.
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