Tea plant seeds poisonous?

[Salsero]

Yes, I know, I just thought It would be educational. Pictures coming this afternoon. Could someone tell me how to directly "imprint" the picture into the forum so I dont have to make you guys click on links?

Upload the photos to Photobucket (free account) and then copy the IMG link into your post.

Alternately, I think you can copy a photo url into the post, select the url, and then hit the Img button above the box in which you write your post message. The photos are never actually IN TeaChat, but they show up in your post as if they were.

It's good to edit the photos (either in software on your computer or in Photobucket) to be no more than 600 pixels across. If they are too big, they great some size problems for Internet Explorer browsers, though they are still viewable.

Flickr and other photo hosting sites will also work.

[andycr512]

Yes, I know, I just thought It would be educational.

I didn't mean to reply to you, I just meant to reaffirm what others said to reassure the OP.

[shogun89]

Well, here they are. They are actually not 2 yrs. as I mentioned before, they are only 1 yr. I planted them last spring. I dont know which variety they are ( var. Assamica/ var. sinensis) But I am guessing they are var. Assamica. Oh, and thank you very much salsero for the instructions, you made everyone's life that much easier.


This is the seed in comparison to a penny.

[silverneedles]

very nice!
you should start a new thread like "tea seed and plant pictures" with the pics so that its more visible -im guessing more ppl would enjoy seeing them

maybe get a discussion going along the lines of planting/growing your own tea plant

[Salsero]

They are so beautiful. I think I am going to cry!

I can see the health risk to eating the seeds: If they are all that big, there is a risk of choking to death! You'd practically need a knife and fork.

Where did you get the seed? They are just lovely and your photos of them are great. Thanks so much for posting them.

[inspectoring]

yes yes yes....want to know where you got the seeds from and how did you grow them. Hey - maybe I can grow the plan indoors in the shade, something along the lines of gyokuro...

[shogun89]

First of all, If we can get enough people growing it we could get our own thread. Once these plants are old enough (3 yrs.) I can start harvesting to make my own tea. It wont be as good as the stuff that we buy from adagio, but it should be better than Lipton and make a nice black iced tea. Not to mention how fun will it be to put your reading on the processing of tea to work? As you can see mine are in pots so I can bring them in for the winter. Those of you in the south can put them outside, in the ground. Heres where I got my seeds.

http://seedrack.com/indiv/camellia_sinensis.html

To grow I soaked the seeds in water over night to soften that hard shell. Then planted it in a small pot with peat moss, Kept it moist and warm in a window greenhouse. And in about a month (yes a month) it sprouted. Its so hard to resist from plucking of those little green buds that you see in the picture above. I cant wait to get out there with a basket and fill it with buds.

As for the idea for a tea growing/manufacturing thread, someone try to get support from a mod.

[Salsero]

... Its so hard to resist from plucking of those little green buds...

Child molester! Cannibal!

It would also be nice to see what kind of tea you get using fresh picked leaves straight into water -- no withering or oxidizing at all.

[Salsero]

Hey, I found two more threads in this forum about growing tea plants.

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=2179

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?p= ... ants#25152

[shogun89]

I think it would be very bitter. I AM NOT A CANNIBAL OR TEA LEAF MOLESTER!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL. Good researching Sal, I noticed how someone said their seeds never germinated. Only about half the seeds will germinate and, as I said, the germination time for these seeds is very long.

[shogun89]

I was looking closely at my plants today and noticed a little ball on the end of a stick coming out of the main trunk. ITS A FLOWER BUD!!!!!!!! Its only about the size of a pea right now but hen it gets ready to bloom in autumn it should be about a dime.

[Chip]

Thanx for sharing your family photos. The plants look very heathy.

Do you have a greenhouse, how do you keep them cooler in the Winter?
Humidity?

My botanical/horticultural background tells me,
that if you remove the flower buds especially when they are so young,
more strength would go to the plants' growth and maturing.
Just sayin...

By the way, the flowers make an incredible tea!!!
I have been posting in TeaDay
about Heirloom Tea Plant Flowers for some time.
Actually, come to think about it,
my very first new topic as a TeaChatter
was about this tea.

[shogun89]

Chip,
I do not have a green house (want one though). I keep them in a part shade window in the basement with 50% humidity, and about 65 degrees during the winter, watering twice a month. I know about pinching the bud of but its only one so I will just let it do its thing. I have yet to try a flower tea, but it sounds interesting. I'll keep you posted.

[Ti]

Yikes! You're not kidding you'd know it was in there! You sure that's not a Milk Dud?

[joelbct]

Wow awesome pictures Shogun... I am so doing this next Spring!!