Camellias are popular winter- and spring-flowering shrubs, bearing masses of colourful blooms when little else in in flower.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub, widely grown in many parts of the world for the production of tea. It's native to China, Japan and Korea. It has attractive, serrated leaves and bears small, fragrant, white flowers with gold stamens in autumn. The young leaves can be picked in spring and dried to make your own tea.
Grow your own tea
Grow Camellia sinensis in a partially shaded spot in moist, acidic soil. If you don't have acid soil in your garden, you can grow camellia in a pot, filled with peat-free ericaceous compost. For best results, grow beside a wall, which will protect it from the harshest winter weather. Avoid exposure to strong morning sun, which can damage flower buds after a frost, and cold dry winds. Make sure the soil is kept moist in dry weather to prevent bud drop. Feed with a balanced fertiliser in spring and early summer and mulch once a year with bark or leaf mould. Water potted plants with rainwater, which helps keep the pH of the compost low (acidic).
Camellia sinensis is frost hardy but may need protecting with fleece during severe winters.
More on growing Camellia sinensis:
Where to buy Camellia sinensis
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