Camellia sinensis is an evergreen plant in the Camellia family. It is commonly used to produce the tea we all love to drink. All “True” tea comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.
Like its famous cousins’ Camellia japonica and sasanqua, Camellia sinensis does flower, but nothing like what you see with the beautiful blossoms of ornamental Camellia species. The flowers are a huge pollinator bonus as bees and other valuable insects love it when it blooms.
Flowers adorn the plants in the fall (USA) of each season. If pollinated, the flowers turn into seeds the following fall and can be planted and grown for new varieties. Camellia sinensis if left alone can become naturalized in areas where the seeds are not harvested and the plants can spread.
There are many variations or subspecies of Camellia sinensis. The most common are Camellia sinensis var. sinensis and Camellia sinensis var. assamica. The latter is not as cold-tolerant as sinensis var. sinensis.
| Botanical Name | Camellia sinensis |
| Common Name | Tea Plant |
| Plant Type | Evergreen flowering shrub |
| Mature Size | 8-10′ if not pruned |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil Type | Moist, well-drained organic soil rich in humus |
| Soil pH | 5.5-6.0 |
| Bloom Time | Fall (USA) |
| Flower Color | White to pale pink |
| Hardiness Zones | 7-8-9 |
| Native Area | China, Japan & Southeast Asia |
