Long ago (2737 B.C.) and far away (ancient China) Emperor Shen Nung – already an herbalist – observed that people who boiled their drinking water remained healthier than those who did not. On one of the Emperor's trips around his realm, his servants set up a fire and began to boil water. A few leaves blew into the pot. Attracted by the fragrance, the Emperor “tasted it and found it good” as the saying goes. Someone determined that the leaves came from an ancient camellia, eventually named Camellia sinensis (meaning from China), and cultivation of this shrub began.
Interest in tea eventually spread to Japan and the rest of the Far East. The beverage came to England sometime in the 1660s by way of Dutch traders travelling from the Orient. One of the earliest tea parties recorded in America was held in 1674 in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (New York today). A hundred years later in 1773, The Sons of Liberty brewed up the most memorable tea party in Boston Harbor as a response to prohibitive British taxes, especially on tea. Tea cultivation in India, now one of the most prolific growers, didn't begin until 1832, courtesy of the British.
Camellia sinensis is the source of white tea, green tea, oolong and black tea, including orange pekoe. The original Camellia sinensis has a small leaf; Camellia sinensis var. ‘asssamica' has a much larger leaf. Sinensis is partial to China and Japan, where it enjoys high altitudes and misty mornings and evenings. The assamica variety is grown primarily in India, Africa and Sri Lanka.
The type of tea produced from Camellia sinensis depends on when the leaves are harvested and whether they are fermented.
White tea is “bud” tea made from the tips of the plant. It's called white because of the small white hairs on the leaves. It makes the sweetest and most subtle tea and also the most expensive, once reserved for royalty. It is thought to have antibacterial, antioxidant and stimulant properties. The buds are minimally processed by dehydration; they are not fermented.
Green tea is made from young leaves that are blanched to retain their green color and then dried to retain antioxidants. Buddhist monks devised a complex grinding process to make matcha, the popular green tea, and developed the ritual to prepare it. Green tea retains some caffeine but it is released slowly for the body to absorb. It also contains vitamins and iron, and it may help lower cholesterol and slow aging.
Oolong tea lies somewhere on the spectrum between green and black teas. To make it, the leaves are semi-fermented or oxidized. Oolong tea has the health properties of both green and black teas; it is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols and contains some caffeine.
Black tea is made from fully fermented or oxidized leaves. The leaves are picked early in the morning and allowed to wither until they are limp enough to roll. The rolling ruptures the cells, launching fermentation and oxidation. After fermentation, the leaves are fired to dry them. Brewed black tea is dark and has a strong rich flavor.
Orange Pekoe is a term applied to some black teas from Sri Lanka and southern India. The name is actually a grading measurement, further broken down into specific subgrades: flowery orange pekoe, etc. These tea leaves undergo extensive processing before reaching market.
You might be surprised to learn that you can grow tea plants in Napa Valley. Fair warning: Starting from seed is a long, tedious project. If you have time on your hands, go ahead. But first check out some of the online videos about the process and you might change your mind. The good news is that California-grown plants can be ordered from local nurseries in one- and five-gallon containers.
Betty Viktor, a Master Gardener in Solano County, has an eight-year-old Camellia sinensis on her back deck. According to Viktor, the shrub does not have big, showy spring flowers. Instead, it has a small, white fragrant flower with yellow stamens. It blooms in late fall or early winter and reaches four to six feet here but is known to reach sixty feet in the wild. As with most camellias, it likes part shade to full morning sun.
Camellia sinensis needs well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. You can grow it in a container but make sure the pot is large enough for future growth. If you plant in your garden, do not plant too deep. The roots grow horizontally and can smother from lack of air circulation. Never dig around a camellia once it's planted or you may disturb the shallow roots. And never let the soil dry out, especially in summer.
From spring through fall, fertilize every three weeks with an acid fertilizer diluted to half the recommended strength. Prune when dormant for shape, opening up the interior to keep the plant healthy. You can propagate cuttings treated with rooting hormone and kept at 72°F. Patience is key, says Viktor.
We should thank that Chinese emperor from long ago for discovering such a wonderful, healthy beverage to enjoy hot or cold, summer or winter. As Soshitsu Sen XV, the retired Grand Master of Urasenke School of Tea in Kyoto, said, “A cup of tea is a cup of peace.”
Tree Walk: Join U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County for a free guided tree walk through Fuller Park in Napa on Monday, September 12, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Registration is recommended as space is limited. Meet at Fuller Park, corner of Jefferson and Oak Streets. Online registration or call 707-253-4221. Trees to Know in Napa Valley will be available for $15. Cash or check payable to UC Regents. Sorry, we are unable to process credit cards.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Bulbs” on Saturday, September 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Mid-City Nursery, 3635 Broadway Street, American Canyon.Bulbs are among the easiest plants to grow and deliver a welcome dose of color and scent, often when the winter is dreary. Master Gardeners will showcase a variety of bulbs, rhizomes, corms, tubers and stolons. Learn how to plant for successive bloom; how to care for, store and divide bulbs; and how to force blooms and encourage rebloom. On-line registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (cash or check only).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.