Camellias in your teacup

I have been watching new buds appear on my Camellias with great pride as I have decided to plant a Camellia hedge. Last year, when I decided to do this, I considered whether I should use all the one variety. However, upon consideration, because there were so many beautiful species and hybrids to choose from, I decided to mix the hedge up and create a visual variety.

I am pleased I did, because as I watch, each one produces flowers of amazing beauty, size, smallness, color and delight. It will probably take another two years to see any real growth to produce my "hedge" effect that I so longingly want.

However, on my front verandah, I have a large pot containing the beautiful Camellia sinensis, which has a delightful white flower and the plant grows without too much attention and little fuss. We tend to have forgotten the "real" use of this Camellia, or didn't know, that it is in fact the variety which gives us the tea that we drink every day of our lives. A fact that we take for granted as we are so used to buying it in packets.

This month I feature this Camellia that is used to make tea and some interesting facts about its use and growing conditions.

"As legend tells the story, one night in 2737 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung boiled drinking water over an open fire, believing that those who drank boiled water were healthier. Some leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis plant floated into the pot. The emperor drank the mixture and declared it gave one "vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose."

Perhaps as testament to the emperor's assessment, tea--the potion he unwittingly brewed that day--today is second only to water in worldwide consumption. The U.S. population is drinking its fair share of the brew; in one year Americans drank 2.25 billion gallons of tea in one form or another--hot, iced, spiced, flavored, with or without sugar, honey, milk, cream, or lemon.

A serving of tea generally contains about 40 milligrams of caffeine (less than half as much caffeine as in coffee), but the actual levels vary depending on the specific blend and the strength of the brew. Decaffeinated tea is also available.

Many tea drinkers find the beverage soothing, and folk medicine has long valued it as a remedy for sore throats and unsettled stomachs. Recent studies have shown that certain chemicals in tea called polyphenols may help reduce the risk of far more serious illnesses, including some cancers, although the data is not conclusive.

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