The word "tea" usually denotes a fragrant and tart beverage that is widespread throughout the world. But few people know that its history goes back millennia. It is believed that the tea bush was discovered by the Chinese, who introduced the world to the healing properties of a decoction from it. Tea varieties from the Middle Kingdom are considered standard and have excellent taste. However, there is still debate about where this plant was first discovered.

The birthplace of tea

China is traditionally considered the birthplace of tea. The first mention of this plant occurs more than 4000 years ago. The tea leaf drink was used during religious ceremonies, as stated in written records dating back to the first centuries of our era. That is why for a long time it was China that was considered the birthplace of the plant.

In the 19th century, wild tea trees were found on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, in the jungles of India and some countries of Indochina. This find caused a change in the original theory of the origin of the plant. Scientists were divided. Some continued to consider China as the homeland of tea, while others tended to the version of the original origin of the plant in the Himalayas. Not so long ago, it was established that the trees found in India are not wild-growing, but the remains of the plantations of the ancient people who lived here.

Another unusual discovery, due to which controversy arose about the history of the origin of the plant, is the discovery of wild tea trees in the southwestern Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan. The main mystery is that the jungle is located at an altitude of more than a thousand meters above sea level. But there is currently no hard evidence that the tea trees found here are wild and not feral.

Chinese or Assamese tea: which one appeared earlier?

For a long time, Chinese tea was considered the only type of this plant. But the tea trees found in the Indian province of Assam have forced scientists to abandon this opinion. Plants have external differences, which made it possible to distinguish two varieties, which were named according to the place of their growth.

Despite the fact that the Assamese plant species in nature can reach 15 meters, on tea plantations it is not allowed to grow more than 2-3 meters. Otherwise, the leaf pickers will not be able to reach the upper branches.

In the course of experiments and research carried out by scientists in the 20th century, it was nevertheless established that the most ancient plant is a plant growing in the Yunnan province. This is due to the fact that here the most favorable conditions for the tea bush: high temperatures almost all year round; high humidity; mild climate.

Thanks to this, the plant remains green all year round, constantly giving new shoots. The further it spread to northern China, the more it looked like a bush. The leaves on it became smaller and smaller, and green shoots appeared 1-2 times a year.

The spread south from the province to the forests of India, on the contrary, influenced the fact that the plant acquired a tree-like shape. The leaves on it have become larger and less elastic. At the same time, external changes practically did not affect the chemical processes taking place in the plant.

Thus, most scholars agree that Yunnan is the birthplace of tea. It was from here that the plant spread throughout the world began. But as climatic conditions changed, the appearance of tea also changed. Therefore, there are currently several varieties of the plant.

Distribution of the tea plant.

Initially, tea became widespread in Asian countries neighboring China. However, this took several centuries. So, in the Celestial Empire, tea as a culture began to be grown in the 4th century, in Japan and Korea, it appeared in the 9th century.

The tea plant came to Europe almost a millennium. Some attempts to spread the plant in other countries have been unsuccessful. In 1800, it was conceived to grow the bush in South Carolina and California. But this did not give a positive result.

In India, tea began to be grown on an industrial scale only after wild trees were found in the province of Manipur. In the middle of the 19th century, tea production began in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In the 20th century, the tea tree appeared in some African countries and Brazil. After the end of the Second World War, successful attempts were made to create tea plantations in Italy, Switzerland, the Black Sea coast of Russia, and Georgia. In most of these countries the Assamese variety of the plant grows.

Today, tea is grown on an industrial scale in more than 30 countries around the world. But the leader in this area is still China, where the most favorable climatic conditions. In addition to it, countries such as:

India;
Sri Lanka;
Japan;
Thailand;
Pakistan, etc.

But top-class tea is not available in all places. The most elite is the raw material obtained from plantations located in the highlands.

Features of the tea bush plant

Chinese Camellia belongs to the tea family. It can grow outdoors. For indoor breeding, it has been used not so long ago. The tea tree has a pleasant aroma, the leaves are dark green, slightly lighter below. During flowering, the tea bush is covered with white flowers with a pinkish or yellowish tint. They are used to make butter. Usually 5-7 petals, short pedicel. The height of the tea bush reaches 1-1.5 meters, it is cut if necessary to the height of the bush. You can buy tea tree seedlings in St. Petersburg at an affordable price on our website.

Flowers are replaced by fruits - seeds of brown color, which appear in late autumn. From them, oil is obtained, which is used for food and for technical needs. The homeland of the tea plant is China, later it came to Japan, and over time it spread throughout the world along with the habit of drinking tea.

Useful properties of the tea tree plant

Scientists have found that a drink made from Camellia chinese leaves reduces the risk of diseases of the female genital organs and breast cancer. It is also useful in treating diabetes mellitus. The medicinal properties of tea are indicated by doctors as follows:

reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease;
improves cell metabolism, lowers cholesterol and regulates blood sugar;
used to reduce inflammation in arthritis;
relieves symptoms of colds and flu well;
used as a flavoring agent for foods (ice cream, candy, alcohol, baked goods, soft drinks, and so on).

Traditional medicine recommends using the tea tree as a diuretic, antiviral and expectorant. The tea drink helps to stimulate digestion and has antioxidant properties. Tea calms the nervous system and helps with headaches, neurological problems. The high content of vitamin P gives the tea an anti-sclerotic effect. Well relieves hangovers and is indicated for use in inflammation of the liver.

But, despite the many positive properties, there are contraindications. Large doses of tea can lead to liver failure, irritability and insomnia, nausea and indigestion. Pregnant and lactating mothers, people with stomach ulcers, psychological disorders, kidney and cardiovascular system problems should carefully consume a drink made from tea tree leaves.

At present, tea is being for various reasons. But the most uncommon use of tea is probably to improve you love life. If you are married and you are not enjoying your love life to its best then please give honeymoon tea a try. A herbal tonic to improve your desire.

Growing and caring for a tea tree

If you decide to decorate your interior with a Chinese camellia bush, then you should study some of the nuances of growing the Tea Tree plant. It will be necessary to follow the rules of caring for it, then the tea bush will grow, delighting its owner with a beautiful flowering.

Tea bush lighting. The tea bush takes root well on a windowsill or balcony that is glazed. A lot of sunlight is needed. It is better if you do not touch the pot: turn it or rearrange it to another place. In the summer, you can take the Chinese camellia to the street in a shady area - this will shorten the daylight hours and flower buds will develop faster.

Temperature for growing the tea tree. In a warm room, the Chinese Camellia plant will not bloom, she likes winter gardens, terraces and verandas more. The ideal temperature for buds to set is +7 - +16 degrees. The tea tree tolerates a long stay in a room with a temperature regime above +18 degrees. Adequate moisture must also be provided. The potted tea tree is placed on a tray of damp pebbles or sprayed once a day.

Tea tree propagation. Tea planting takes place at the end of winter - beginning of spring. The seeds are placed in the soil with scars upward to a depth of no more than 4 centimeters. A slightly acidic soil is suitable for this. A little more than a month later, seedlings will appear, which in the first year will grow by about 30 centimeters. If suddenly the tea tree seedling dies, then you should not immediately throw out the plant: young shoots will again go from the root.

Watering the tea bush (moisture). Tea loves water, which means that it needs to be watered frequently in hot weather. It is important that the water is at room temperature. Care must be taken to ensure that the soil does not dry out. It is advisable to spray the foliage twice a week. When flowers appear, the tea tree should be watered and moisturized less intensely than usual. Taking care of the Tea Tree at home is not difficult, the main thing is to know some of the nuances.

Transplanting a tea bush. It is necessary to replant a young tea plant every year. This is best done at the end of summer. In flower shops, you can find ready-made earthen mixture for azaleas or camellias. When the bush reaches its adult age, a transplant will be needed every two to three years.

Top dressing of Chinese Camellia. From the beginning of the growing period until the end of July, the maintenance of the tea tree includes a weekly feeding. You can purchase a set of fertilizers for flowering plants. It can also be a substrate for roses. As soon as the formation of buds begins, it is necessary to stop feeding the bush.

The wintering of the tea bush should take place in a cool place, where it is not higher than +10 degrees. Watering during this period is moderate, but the foliage should be sprayed more often.

Transplanting Chinese camellia into open ground. If you purchased a stalk in a store or grew a tea sapling from seeds that is strong enough, then you can start preparing. The cost of the tea tree can be found in the catalog. The first step is to choose a landing site. Since this is a thermophilic plant, the area should be well lit, because the shade will lead to a complete lack of flowering, but the scorching sun will also negatively affect the tea bush. The best option would be partial shade near a tree or fence.

A sign that a tea tree seedling is ready to plant is a woody trunk. This is most often best done in mid-spring. In autumn, planting a Chinese camellia is possible only in the southern regions of the country. For planting a tea tree plant in the open field, black soil is best suited. It must be enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers. The medium should be slightly acidic or neutral. A hole is dug that is twice the size of the root. At the bottom, drainage is constructed from pebbles, stones or bricks. It is better to mix the soil with compost and peat. After compacting the tea seedling in the hole, it is necessary to ensure abundant watering. Mulching is carried out with the help of bark or needles, which helps to preserve the moisture of the earth around the plant.

Since winters are different, despite the plant's resistance to frost, it must be covered. A thick layer of peat covers the space around the tea bush. You can make a frame from twigs and cover it with dry leaves. To create maximum protection, everything is covered with a non-woven fabric on top. Thus, the plant overwinters to please you in the next warm season.

Diseases and pests of the tea bush. The tea tree, a photo of which you can see in our catalog, is resistant to many well-known ailments, but sometimes unforeseen situations arise and you need to respond quickly. If the buds suddenly fall off, then it is necessary to reduce watering, and when the foliage falls off, it is necessary to do the opposite, that is, to increase the number of waterings. When stains appear, it is worth applying a fungicide, since it is a fungus. Of the pests on tea, you can only find spider mites, scale insects or aphids.

To combat the first, acaricide is used. Infected leaves of the tea bush are covered with silvery or bronze spots. If the tea bush is infected with scabies, then it grows poorly and looks painful. This can lead to death. The scutes are located on the bottom of the sheet. To combat them, spraying with an insecticide is used. Another pest is aphids. It affects young seedlings. Get rid of it with a soapy solution, sometimes use an insecticide.

It is easy to grow Chinese camellia in the open field, it is necessary to follow the simple recommendations for planting and care. This will allow you to get an evergreen shrub that will delight with its flowering and decorate your garden.