Tea plants in the lower mainland

I'm working on a biotech project right now and I was wondering if there is anywhere that I would be able to get a hold of tea plants. I am not looking for anything specific but I would prefer either a common drinking tea or a tea with medicinal properties. If you have any information that would help me please email me at:kamcleod@hotmail.com

Thank you
Kylie

 

Common black or green tea is made from the leaves of Camelia sinensis. I am sure where it is available in Vancouver but it is sometimes found for sale at nurseries. Although this is not the ideal climate for it, it should survive here. Herbal infusions are made from so many different plants. If you are just looking for any "tea" source, I might suggest mint. Easy to find and easy to grow.

 

I believe I've read on anther site that the there are old plants at one of the agricultural experiments stations up there.

 

I heard that Mint is a good tea, it is nice flavour with lemon Once you plant some mint, it grows like fire and spreads everywhere.

To grow mint if you don't have any is to get a sprig from the market and place it in the ground. Another nice thing about mint is that you don't have to place fertilizer or fuss a lot when taking care of it. Very soon you will have big leaves to make mint tea. Mint is found everywhere, and in the market. Already 1/4 of our garden is bustling with life from mint.

Good Luck,

G1

 

Lemon balm (melissa officinalis) makes a nice tea.

 

I would love to find some camelia sinensis to grow in Vancouver, too, so if anyone knows just where to find it, please post it.

 

I ordered some tea seeds which arrived today from Camellia Forest Nursery in North Carolina, camforest.com. They were supposed to be from a more cold tolerant strain (down to 6B).

 

Thanks, I can't wait to give this a try. And please let us know how yours works out.

 

I grow Camellia sinensis just north of Bellingham. I currently have 6 plants, 5 of which are quite young. My oldest plant- 5+ years- is large enought that I harvest a little tea each year. I dry and pan roast it; it is the best green tea I have ever tasted. Which is why, of course, that I planted 5 more. Tea camellia is readily available here in Washington; you should be able to find plant in Vancouver.

 

Thanks for that info, I'll start phoning around (unless anyone knows a good lead for it in the lower mainland).
I'm disappointed that I can't find the tea I've been buying anymore and don't like any of the other commercial teas I've tried (most of the newer organic brands) so can't wait to be enjoying my own homegrown stuff!

Btw, do you have any photos of the C.S. that you want to post?

 

Can tea be made from other species of Camellia, or only C. sinensis?

 

Tea can be made from pretty much any plant stewed in hot water.....In terms of traditional black and green teas though, Camellia sinensis is it.

 

Camellia sasanqua (Christmas Camellia) leaves are used for tea in Japan. I wouldn't doubt that other species of Camellia have been used historically as well. Worth mentioning Camellia oleifera (tea oil camellia)in this thread: might be worth trying in Vancouver. The seed oil is apparently chemically similar to Camellia sinensis (both are pressed for oil in China) so perhaps this translates somewhat to the leaves as well.

 

From the American Camellia Society Website

 

Camellia oleifera is very hardy, too, so if it does make good tea, it could be worth trying in colder climates. It is one of the plants used in some of the hardy flowering camellia crosses, i.e. the April series and Winter series out of North Carolina.

 

In case anyone is still interested, Sochi variety of Camellia sinensis is available at Sun Tai Sang Farm in Burnaby.