UF Tea

Tea is a camellia species (C. sinensis), and like many ornamental camellias, it grows well in sandy soils with high organic matter, and tolerates both humid summer heat and mild winter freezes. In fact, the temperature and rainfall profiles of North-central Florida are very similar to some of the top tea production regions in China. Researchers at UF have been exploring the potential for tea as a specialty crop for Florida production.

We are bringing together expertise in horticulture, agronomy, soil science, breeding, and plant pathology to develop suitable cultivars and growing recommendations for Florida and the southeastern US, and as new questions develop, we are expanding our team to answer them.