Does anyone know what an American Tea Bush is really? I saw this as a specimen at one of the little private farm gardens in Hamden, CT, but there's really no one around to ask questions of. It smells a little like tea, and supposedly was used as a substitute for tea during the Revolution. It has thin leaves, about one inch long, looks fairly shrubby. Anyone have a clue?
American Tea Bush?
Do you know the botanical name? I have Ceanothus, which is called NJ tea. Might be that.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/56494/
I prefer a coffee bush myself . . .
Me too.
Heee, coffee bushes in the Northeast, wouldn't that be great?! Hmm, that might be it, but I thought I remembered the leaves as being more needle like. This was back in September, so it may have been that the leaves were just dry. I'll have to make another pilgrimage there in the spring to see it again. Thanks!
Would this be it? The picture has white flowers with needle like leaves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrador_tea
or this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erica_arborea.JPG
This message was edited Jan 2, 2009 10:21 AM
What an interesting thread! This is a bit of what I found:
Typical American Tea Bush
http://chestofbooks.com/food/beverages/Adulteration-Origin/Typical-American-Tea-Bush.html
American Tea
http://chestofbooks.com/food/beverages/Adulteration-Origin/American-Tea.html
Looking at WNYWillieBs links - American Tea Bush is another name for Camellia sinensis. I have one growing in the back yard with my fingers crossed as it is marginal in this zone. It blooms in the Fall with a small, white flower with a yellow center. My plant is struggling so I haven't tried picking any leaves for tea. Now if I could grow coffee - that would be very good. :)
I bet I could do a couple of them in containers for the summer and winter them in the greenhouse, if it isn't winter hardy here.
Sounds like a fun experiment.
I'd like to try coffee, too. I try not to add too many things that need special pampering per year so I can keep up. :-)
Can You brew the coffee plant. I drink alot of coffee.
I don't remember any fruit. What was left of flowers looked very small. The leaves were narrow and quite aromatic. The Camelia just seems to have such broad leaves. I'm leaning to the Labrador link. Now of course this is going to drive me crazy until I get back out there in the Spring. Thanks for the links, everyone, I'll try to post more information later.