It’s a Tea Plant – like the drink, TEA! And, no it’s not any of the herbal tisanes
(which is what herbal “teas” should be called because they don’t have any
actual TEA leaves in them). And
yes, the TEA plant is an herb.
Confusing, I know, but there you are.
Anyway ---- so, Did You Know …….
All the various types of teas come
from this plant, Camellia sinensis var.
sinensis and subspecies, Camellia
sinensis var. assamica. These are the
two major varieties grown today to produce green, oolong, black, and white teas. The difference in the flavors is due the way
the leaves are processed.
The tea plant is an evergreen tropical shrub. In the fall, it will flower with small white blossoms
that have a very sweet scent. If you
chose to plant one in the ground, it likes a well-drained, sandy soil in a
sunny to part shade location. Remember,
it can grow upwards of 10 feet but can also be trimmed (like a hedge) without
suffering any problems. Something else -
Tea plants require consistent temperatures that range between 65 and 85°. According to the pros, tea plants stop growing
when the temperature drops below 55° or rises above 95°. So, the plant should be kept indoors where you
can control the temperature. Hmmmmm – not above 95° -- it would have to
stay indoors from May to November here. Something
to think about. Another yes – the tea
plant lends itself well to growing in a pot.
And again, yes, the tea plant is a close relative to the
Camellia we all know and love.
OK – so if you want to grow a tea plant to for its leaves, you
must have patience because the plant should be 2 – 5 years old before you harvest
leaves. Only the young, tender leaves
and buds are used for tea and you want your plant large enough to produce the
numbers of leaves you need.
Now, growing tea is only part of the process. Once your tea
plant is growing well, you'll need to harvest and process your tea leaves. Depending on the type of finished product you
want, leaves should be picked spring, summer, or fall and at different times of
the day.
So, for Green Tea
-
Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds. Blot the leaves dry and let them completely dry
in the shade for a few hours. Steam the
leaves (like you would vegetables) on your stove for about a minute or roast
them in a skillet for 2 minutes. Spread
the leaves on a baking sheet and continue to dry in the oven at 250F for 20
minutes.
And, for Black Tea -
Pluck the very youngest leaves and leaf buds. Roll the leaves between your hands, and crush
them until the leaves start to darken and turn red. Spread them out on a tray and leave them in a
cool location for 2-3 days. Dry them in
the oven at 250F for about 20 minutes.
Or, you can buy loose tea leaves, enjoy having a pretty and
unusual plant plus get all the tea bennies without the whole processing thing. I personally don’t care for any of the weird
teas (like green or white or oolong). I
like black tea and don’t care too much for ground up tea dust in bags – give me
leaves please.
Take care.
COMING SOON TO A BLOG
NEAR YOU!
TEA,
LEGEND AND HISTORY
YOU DON’T WANT TO
MISS IT!
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