Camellias are now in bloom in Portland, Oregon! Did you know that the tea tree is in the same family with camellia, called Camellia Sinensis?
Just like regular camellia, tea trees also have flowers. It is said that tea tree flowers are a bit blander than camellia, and they bloom around October in Japan.
You may think that the tea plantations at that time would be beautiful; however, tea flowers are rarely seen. The reason for this is because the flowers are picked out early so that the tea leaves retain enough nutrition. It’s a shame that tea tree flowers do not get much attention, but thanks to their absence we are able to drink delicious tea.
Next time you drink tea, appreciate the tea flowers that didn’t get to bloom, but instead turned into a nice drink for us!