Tea?

[Ariel301]

I'm not sure if it would be considered an herb or not, but does anyone on here grow tea plants?

I'd like to try them, and what I read online says they'll live in my growing zone (8a). They're expensive, though, so I want to know more before I pay $4 for 10 seeds and end up killing them all! They look like they would be a neat shrub to grow around my house as a useful decorative plant--I'd love to have some flowers, but my husband seems opposed to buying any plant that we can't eat. And since we both love tea, it seems like a good choice.

 

[kimnkell]

I have wondered about the tea plants too. I love love love blueberry tea and would love to learn how to make my own..

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi Ariel,

We have a tea plantation over here in the UK. I saw it on the TV, they said it grows easily but takes a few years for the bushes to grow to size.
Here are some links about the estate where it grows.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article3528647.ece

http://www.tregothnan.co.uk/tea-garden/p_302/

http://www.tregothnan.co.uk/about-t...ll---botanic-garden-and-tea-plantation/p_182/

http://tregothnanestate.blogspot.com/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6277794.stm

****** This last link is about a plan to grow tea in the north of England where it is much colder than Tregothnan which is in the south west.

Hope this helps.

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I'm back -- more info!!

A Welsh tea-growing scheme just being set up:

http://www.pembrokeshiretea.co.uk/Tea/Our_gardens.html

You, in the US, have one in South Carolina:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attrac...lantation-Wadmalaw_Island_South_Carolina.html



:rose Hattie :rose

 

[vfem]

Wow... another thing to keep my eye on now!

 

[Ariel301]

Thanks! I'm going to try to get some seeds and try to grow them. I'm in northwestern Arizona where it is hot and dry, so I'll have to water them well I think.