Tea

Tea, Camellia sinensis, is a tree or small shrub in the family Theaceae grown for its leaves which are used to make beverages. The tea plant is branching with alternate elliptical leaves. The leaves are leathery in texture, matte green in color and have serrated edges. The tea plant can take the form of a tree with a bowl-shaped canopy but is usually pruned under cultivation to be smaller and shrub-like. The plant produces fragrant white flower singly or in small clusters. Tea tree can reach up to 15 m (49 ft) in height and can live anywhere between 30 and 50 years. The plant originates from China.


Tea leaves are usually infused with boiling water to produce an infused drink. In China, most tea leaves are processed for green tea (little or no fermentation of the leaves) whereas most Assam tea is processed for black tea which is manufactured by fermenting and crushing the leaves.


Basic requirements Tea grows best in warm and humid climates. It will tolerate temperatures between 14 and 27°C (57.2–80.6°F) with 18–20°C (64.4–68°F) being optimum. Tea plants will not tolerate frost and mean temperatures should not fall below 13°C (55.4°F) or exceed 29°C (84.2°F). Tea grows optimally in deep, well-draining, tropical red soils with an acidic pH between 4.5 and 6.0. Tea requires an average annual rainfall of 1600 mm per year distributed evenly throughout the growing season. In growing regions that experience a long dry season, tea plants require shading to increase the humidity around the plants. Propagation Tea is propagated from seed or rooted leaf cuttings. Good quality seeds are selected by immersing in water for 30 minutes and selecting the seeds which sink. Seeds are commonly germinated by placing them between wet cloths. Seeds which successfully germinate are transferred to a nursery bed to grow for 2–3 years. Before transplanting to the field, the plants are cut back to a height of 15 cm (6.0 in). Leaf cuttings are also used to establish new tea plantations. Single node cuttings are taken from the desired variety and rooted in polyethylene bags containing soil by firmly pressing the stem into the soil. The bags are then placed in a shaded area and watered regularly. New tea plants produced from rooted cuttings are usually planted out in the field after 6–9 months. Tea can be planted as single rows, double rows or as a hedge. Plantations established on slopes are planted on contour rows. Seedlings or cuttings are usually planted 60 cm (24 in) apart, allowing 1.5 m (5 ft) between rows. The tea plants are often interplanted with legumes or grasses to conserve soil moisture and prevent soil erosion. Shade trees are utilized in tea plantations grown at lower altitudes. General care and maintenance Newly planted tea plantations must be kept free from weeds while the tea plants establish. Weeding should be done by hand until the canopy closes and shades out weeds. Tea plants should be pruned to encourage the production of lateral branches. Busjes are shaped by tipping and thinning of branches to create the desired shape. Pruning should be maintained throughout the life of the plantation to keep the plants a manageable size and maintain productivity. pruning is best carried out when the plants are dormant where possible. If trees do not have a dormant period then they should be pruned in winter or after the dry period depending on geographic location. The tree clippings can be left in the centers of the rows to acts as an organic mulch. Tea plantations are usually fertilized 2–3 times per year. The amount of each nutrient added to the soil will depend on the soil’s own deficiencies and should ideally be based on the results of soil testing or by testing the leaves for nutrient deficiencies. Harvesting Tea is harvested by “plucking” which involves the removal of the youngest leaves at the shoot terminals. The terminal bud is removed along with the two leaves directly below (fine plucking) or the bud and three leaves (coarse plucking). The younger leaves have the best flavor and removing three leaves increases production but diminishes the overall quality by including an older leaf. Tea plants are plucked by hand by grasping the plant between thumb and forefinger and is usually carried out every 7–14 days depending on altitude.


CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2008). Camellia sinensis (tea) datasheet. Available at: http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/10781. [Accessed 20 April 15]. Paid subscription required. Crane, J. H. & Balerdi, C. F. (2013). Tea growing in the Florida home landscape. Available at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS30800.pdf. [Accessed 20 April 15]. Free to access. Duke, J. A. (1983). Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze. Handbook of Energy Crops (Unpublished). Available at: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/camellia_sinensis.html. [Accessed 20 April 15] . Free to access.