Camellia sinensis Bob Hope

Camellia sinensis, better known as Tea Plant or simply Tea, is a bush or small iconic tree, closely related to horticultural camellias and the origin of all the teas in the world. It has a bushy habit and bears thin, dentate leaves of a shiny dark green that persist throughout the year. Its simple and modestflowers, white with a yellow stamen centre, bloom twice a year, in October and June. With extraordinary longevity, this is a semi-hardy ericaceous plant and thrives in a mild and humid coastal climate. Rustic and discreetly exotic, it is perfect as a solitary plant in the garden or a container, or in a flowering hedge.

Camellia sinensis belongs to the family of Theaceae, of which it is the flagship. Originating from southern China, it is widely cultivated for its foliage which is highly aromatic after fermentation, in mountainous areas of tropical Asia, Japan, and other parts of the world with a mild and humid climate. This plant forms an erect and bushy shrub with rather slow growth, reaching over 10m (33 ft) in its natural habitat, but rarely exceeding 2.50m (8 ft) in European climates. Flowering occurs twice a year, when not pruned. The flowers, 2.5 to 4 cm (1 to 1.6 in) in diameter, are simple, composed of 5 green and persistent sepals, and 5 to 8 pale yellow to white petals surrounding a centre of yellow stamens. They can be solitary or in groups of 3 or 4. The  dense and  evergreen foliage is composed of small leaves, 4 to 8 cm (1.5 to 3 in) long and 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) wide, ovate, dentate, and shiny. Flowering is followed by the formation of loculicidal capsules measuring between 1.5 and 3 cm (0.6 and 1.2 in) in diameter.

The different teas are obtained through specific treatments of the leaves of Camellia sinensis (green tea, white tea, black tea, smoked tea etc)

A hardy shrub in its natural environment - at high altitudes where temperatures can go below zero - Camellia sinensis is a robust plant capable of withstanding temperatures as low as -12°C (10.4 °F) for a short period. It is important to keep in mind that its preferred climate is temperate and oceanic, therefore rather mild, fairly humid, cloudy, and with small temperature variations between seasons. Where such conditions do not exist it should be placed in a sheltered position during winter and protected from scorching sun in summer. The tea plant suits all styles of garden, whether cottage, Japanese, or wild, as long as the soil is acidic. Planted in an informal hedge, alongside rhododendrons or andromedas, this shrub will add volume and its beautiful evergreen foliage will provide a screen throughout the year. When planted alone, Camellia sinensis will benefit from being surrounded by flowering perennials such as heathers, marsh marigolds, Japanese lilies, or lithodoras which bloom before or after it, to always have a colourful scene. Cultivation in a pot is entirely possible on a terrace or sheltered balcony. In winter it is necessary to protect the plant and the pot from severe frosts and icy winds.