Tea

Camellia sinensis Origin: India Improvement status: Landrace Seeds per packet: ~10 BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED Life cycle: Perennial Tea? Really? Yes! Unless you're in the really cold parts of the US (New England, Upper Midwest, Rockies, etc), there's a good chance you can actually grow tea! While these seeds come from India (imported by Sheffield's Seed Company in Locke, NY), and are probably only reliably cold hardy into Zone 7, there are actually farmers growing tea in surprising places like Virginia, New Jersey, British Columbia, Washington, and even upstate New York!  It needs little introduction, since this is the same plant that becomes your green tea, black tea, oolong, darjeeling, etc. But for those who have never seen the plant in action, it's also a beautiful plant that would be a welcome addition to any garden. The shiny leaves are evergreen, the white flowers with a yellow heart are stunning, and the large seeds can be pressed to yield an edible oil. The heal