Grow Your Own!
Please contact mintoislandtea@gmail.com to inquire about plant availability.
We’ll have plants for sale in April at the Minto Island Growers Farm Stand. See you in the spring!
The plants are grown from seed collected from our 30-year-old mixed cultivar Camellia sinensis tea garden.
Native to southern China, Camellia sinensis is now grown in many other parts of the world. The plant is hardy through growing zone 7, and thrives in moderate climates, including Oregon. The same plant species is used to make all kinds of white, green, oolong and black teas. However, there are different sub-varieties or cultivars of the species corresponding to the different growing climates, soils, local cultivation practices and types of teas produced. For example, black teas are mostly made from Camellia sinensis var. assamica, due to higher tannin levels. However, the bulk of the differences in the tea types come from the techniques used to process the leaves.
The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, grows to be a large shrub or small tree but is most often kept to a manageable height of 3-5 feet in cultivated hedges. Flowers are usually white and somewhat reminiscent in shape to the ornamental camellia, only smaller. If you are regularly harvesting the leaves for tea processing, you will often be removing the stem tips or buds before the plant flowers.
Here are some tips on growing Camellia sinensis:
Planting: As with most shrubs, dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball but only as deep. Plant the root ball so the top is level with the soil height. Backfill with mostly native soil, amended with some well-aged compost. During establishment phase, mulch the tea plant with sawdust, leaves or compost, especially in early fall before temperatures drop. The ideal planting time for tea plants is between April and late August. If planted later, plants may be susceptible to frost injury before becoming well-established.
Soil: Camellia sinensis grows in a wide range of soil conditions but prefer acidic soils, pH 6 or lower. To prevent root rot, the plant requires adequate drainage. In some wetter sites, you can consider a raised bed with extra compost amendments.
Light: Tea plants prefer sites with full sun to partial shade. Try to avoid sites that are fully shaded, as a lack of sunlight will reduce vigor.
Spacing: Allow 5 feet in width and 15 feet in height for specimen plants. For hedge plantings in a production setting, individuals can be spaced between 1 ½ feet to 3 feet apart. Prune frequently to encourage branching and numerous growing tips for tea plucking.
Water: For the first 2 years, before the plant is well-established, water twice or three times per week in summer. Make sure the entire root ball is soaked through. Once the plant is established regular water in dry summers will encourage more growth of new shoots. Take care not to over-water.
Find information on processing tea here.