I agree Tiffany, I haven't seen any at all. You think somebody would make a good effort to put out the plants because labor intensive for some isn't as much labor for others if you figure out the easier ways to do it. I for one would love to pick some new shoots because I like green tea and the thought of having organic green tea that didn't ever have artificial ferilizer on the plant in the spring sounds pretty awesome, or black kumqaut or lemon honey tea in the fall... mmm

The enzymes in the tea leaves promote oxidation of the leaves after they are picked from the tea plant. Just as dying tree leaves turn from green to gold, red and brown in the Fall, so wilting tea leaves start to go brown and black under warm humid conditions. This is a form of natural oxidative decay, a bit like apple flesh turning brown after it is cut. Therefore the enzymes have to be knocked out by steam in order to stop this "fermentation" and retain the green color of the leaves as they are dried. This is also done to things like green beans by blanching before freezing...otherwise the enzymes can cause the beans to turn black and leathery. This fermentation is allowed to occur naturally when black tea is made, because the leaves are not steamed and the enzymes are intact. The fermentation process increases the body, astringency and complexity of the flavor but also removes some of the anti-oxidant components of the tea.

Hi lil tomato, I didn't look to see exactly where in Texas you are, but camellias can grow quite well in certain areas of Texas. If you're lucky enough to be in the eastern portion of the state with some acid to your soil, I'd give it a go. If you do a search for "Camellia Society Texas" there are links for the Houston Camellia Society and Coushatta Camellia Society which could provide great specific cultural information for you to decide if it's worth trying where you are located. I'm waiting for cooler weather to add a large specimen C. sassanqua to the back side of my pool. I want mid-winter color. You, I presume, might actually be interested in harvesting the leaves? Good Luck! Here is a link that might be useful: TAMU Dr. Welch Camellia Article

I would love to grow my own tea but have never seen a plant not 1 ever