What kind of teaplants are you growing in your garden?
I’m growing Lemon Grass, Mint, and I will be adding a Russian Tea plant this month.
Besides what you have mentioned, I have lemon balm, camellia Sinensis, and dandelion which makes great tea.
What kind of Russian Tea plant? Camellia Sinensis Sochi?
Camelia Sinensis, “Russian Tea.”
Never heard of Camellia Sinensis Russian Tea
We have camelia sinensis, which is flowering right now, along with the sasanqua camelias, which aren’t for tea. Also have lemon grass, which is used for cooking. Loads and loads of lemon balm, which lines the front walkway and reseeds itself. It’s supposed to be helpful as a mosquito deterrent. Mints were planted years ago and are do such a good job of spreading that I’m constantly pulling them from gardens. Of course there are dandelions galore. And there are raspberries, the leaves of which some use for teas.
Only the camelia sinensis is grown with the intent of making tea. Lemon balm, mints, and dandelion are for the pleasure of the bees.
Many plants’ leaves can be used for tea, as Muddy mentioned , raspberry leaves. Blackberry leaves make good tea, as well as fig leaves.
My family grows and drinks a lot of roselle hibiscus (aka Florida cranberry) tea, besides using it to make sauce we use with lots of things.
I grow Eastern Prince Magnolia vine berries for tea. The leaves I think can be used too. It produced so many this year I dried some. Taste is probably an acquired taste. Not sure all would like it?
One of the 50 essential Chinese herbs.
I planted small leaf green tea last season, supposedly hardy in z6 (I’m in 6b). Died over the winter, but I may try again sometime. Anyone have success with a camelia in zone 6?
I’m 7b (which means we have occasional 7a winters), and my Camelia sinensis (which is in a somewhat protected spot) has survived fine but can look pretty rough sometimes. Late spring cold snaps may have hit it harder than mid-winter extremes, but still I feel like I’m close the northern limit for it, but maybe I’m wrong, or maybe it could take more cold under different kind of climate conditions.