Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers, Camellia sinensis is a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing Camellia sinensis, the tea plant that produces black, white, green, and oolong teas.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Does Camellia Sinensis Belong To?
Camellia sinensis belongs to the Theaceae family, also known as the tea family.
Some of its relatives include other camellias, Franklin trees, and needlewood trees.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Camellia Sinensis?
The minimum container size recommended for Camellia sinensis is twice the size (depth and width) of the root ball. Young tea plants are usually fine in a 5-gallon planter, but they will need to be potted up as they grow.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Camellia Sinensis?
Some of the best companions for Camellia sinensis are as follows:
- Lettuce
- Potato
- Spinach
- Chard
- Orach
- Radish
- Sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are good companions for Camellia sinensis because they are great at breaking up the soil around the tea plant's roots. However, these 2 species have opposite sun needs, so be mindful of the sun conditions in the spot where you plan to plant them before doing so.
- Blueberry
- Hosta
- Rhododendron
- Ferns
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Camellia Sinensis?
Camellia sinensis is not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with the tea plant are as follows:
- Marshmallow
- Watercress
- Black walnut
What Soil Conditions Does Camellia Sinensis Need?
Camellia sinensis prefers rich, well-draining, acidic soil with a pH of 6.0 or lower. The soil should be neither dry nor waterlogged, as the tea plant does not like wet feet.
How Long Does Camellia Sinensis Take to Germinate?
Camellia sinensis takes 1-2 months to germinate at a temperature of 40-75°F.
How Much Sun Does Camellia Sinensis Need?
Camellia sinensis prefers part shade.
Sun recommendations can vary by region.
How Much Water Does Camellia Sinensis Need?
Camellia sinensis needs 2 deep watering sessions per week in most conditions. There should not be standing water when the watering is done, as this plant does not like wet feet.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Camellia Sinensis?
Camellia sinensis grows fastest in temperatures of 65-80°F.
This is its ideal temperature range. Although it will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
It will likely continue to grow in temperatures slightly outside this range such as those between 52º and 90ºF. Below 50ºF, the plant will survive, but it will not actively grow until temperatures warm up again.
Most Camellia sinensis bushes are hardy to 15ºF, and some even survive down to 5ºF.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. The 2 main varieties of the tea plant are the Chinese variety, Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, and the Indian variety, Camellia sinensis var. assamica. Of these, the Chinese variety is more likely to be hardy to closer to 5ºF and to tolerate cold temperatures for a longer period of time.
How Tall Does Camellia Sinensis Get?
The average height of Camellia sinensis is 10-15 feet.
The average width of the tea plant is 6-10 feet.
Is Camellia Sinensis Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Camellia sinensis is a perennial bush, meaning that it lives for longer than a couple years.
More specifically, healthy tea plants frequently live for 100 years or more.
How Does Camellia Sinensis Reproduce?
Camellia sinensis reproduces by seed.
How Much Camellia Sinensis is Produced Per Plant?
For Camellia sinensis, how much is produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the variety, size, age, and growing conditions.
Most mature tea plants produce 1 to 2.5 ounces of tea leaves per year.
See our special Simple Uses for Camellia Sinensis article here for more information about how to dry tea leaves for different types of tea. I say "special" because it deviates from our typical simple uses format specifically to cover this process!
Can Camellia Sinensis Be Ingested?
Camellia sinensis leaves and seed oil are edible.
Camellia sinensis leaves and seeds have nervine and antioxidant properties. They can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea and infused oil, but these leaves can also be made into a tincture. An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:3 at 40-50% alcohol is suggested for a Camellia sinensis leaf tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting Camellia sinensis leaves or seed oil.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of Camellia sinensis rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for Camellia sinensis here!
Camellia sinensis is featured in these Plant to Plate articles: