A varietal of Camellia plant, camellia sinesis, grows wild in Arkansas which is climatically perfect for the beautiful bush. This particular varietal produces the matcha green tea one might be familiar with when ordering drinks at coffee bars. The plant is called a variety of names from tea plant to tea bush or camellia.
History of Tea Preparation
In the past, the Japanese would prepare the tea by steaming the leaves, allowing them to dry out under shade, roasting the leaves, and then pulverizing them with a stone grinder. After, they would either store the ground tea powder or they would boil the tea in water and salt, and, as it boiled, they would whisk the tea in hot water; this would produce a thick foaming green tea similar to the feel and taste of the Green Tea Latte at Starbucks, except the pure tea matcha is more thick, sweet, and “earthy.”
For modern use, the leaves can be steamed and dried out in a cool shady area, and then pulverized with a pestle and mortar. Although there are home appliances for grinding, it is said the best tasting tea is hand worked, but, to break up clumps, one can use a tea sieve. What's great about the preparation of tea from one's own bush is approximately four light handfuls of leaves can produce about a cup of powder, which can produce an approximate ten cups of tea. In the world of marketed loose teas, this is great deal of tea.
Types of Tea
There are two types of matcha that grow well in Arkansas climate: sansanqua and japonica. Sansanqua blooms October to January while Japonica blooms January to spring. Both bushes are resilient and can survive cold weather and light snow, but if it’s too cold, the Japonica will bloom late in spring. Also, if temperatures drop to more than a light freeze, it is advised to store the plants indoor. Although both are bushes, be warned that the sansanqua can grow over 6 feet in height, so pruning and trimming may be necessary.
Benefits of Camellia
Naturally, the benefits of green tea are its antioxidants and amino acids, but it's a pretty plant too. Camellia tea plants bloom many varieties of flowers that are just as beautiful as roses, and they come in just as many colors, so the bush is an excellent addition to anyone's garden. If one should happen upon a wild bush, that is very lucky; however, a typical tea bush can be a few hundred dollars, or one can buy some seeds for a few bucks.
References
Matchasource.com, No Author, (March 14th, 2011).
arhomeandgarden.org, Division of Agriculture (March 14th, 2011).
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