Camellia Sinensis from Camellia Forest Nursery

Where do you live (or, at least, where are you going to grow the things)?. After all, some plants prefer different zones of the earth. Where you are may make a difference.

Z

Wow. You're all the way in zone 8 or 9 (if not that little blot of

10). You can find a zone map at -- just click on the link "USDA Hardiness Zone Map" under "United States, Canada & North America". I'd go for one marked "zone 7B" and trust my luck that it doesn't fry. They also offer Camellia vietnamensis seedlings, which might suit your climate better (I assume it's fairly warm in Vietnam), but I'm not sure if you can make drinkable tea out of that (anyone out there know for sure?). It is listed under "tea plants". Anyway, those are seedlings, so you'd have a while to wait if you wanted to pick any leaves.

The better tea plants seem to be the ones for zone 7a, but I'm not sure they'd not roast in the California sun. Unless you'd like to provide a climate-controlled greenhouse.

Definitely avoid the zone 6b korean plants, unless you're thinking dark-roasted oolong :-). Find something heat-resistant.

Good luck and happy infusions,

Z

I will soon have a climate-controlled greenhouse. Perhaps I should try my hand at growing tea plants.

N.

snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com7/28/03

20: snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

WOW. New York City is in the 7a. zone. We're perfect in every way.

Michael

You can find basic cultivation tips at

a page part of the International Camellia Society website ( ).

$!#/$?%& websites made with frames