Theaceae - Botanical Family

Botanical name: Adinandra sp.

Common name: Adinandra

Family: Pentaphylacaceae    (Formerly:Theaceae)

Origin: Southeast Asia

Botanical names: Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua

Common name: Camellia

Family: Theaceae

Origin: Japan

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

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Camellias are not tropical plants, but cold sensitive. The are grown successfully outdoors and usually survive occasional temperatures as low as 0 to 10 degrees F. Flower buds are damaged at temperatures below 10 to 15 degrees F. Open camellia blossoms normally are damaged at temperatures below 26 to 28 degrees F. Most Camellias grow and produce better flowers in partial shade. Plants located in full sun often are less dormant during warm periods of the winter and may suffer damage if cold weather follows. Plants in a northern or western exposure of a building or fence or otherwise protected from intense morning sun will usually stand more cold weather than those in an eastern or southern exposure. Choose a planting site with well-drained soil. Do not plant where shade trees with shallow root systems will compete with Camellias for nutrients and water. Plants in the sun may suffer scald on the leaves or leaves may appear yellow rather than deep green. Plants of Camellia sasanqua generally do better in the sun than those of C. japonica. Camellias will grow in most well-drained slightly acid soil.

Botanical name: Camellia sinensis

Common name: Tea plant

Family: Theaceae

Origin: Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and India to Assam and China

Small evergreen tree to 20-25 ft tall, usually pruned back to shrubs in cultivation, with strong taproot giving rise to a surface. Small white flowers with golden stamens in fall and winter.

Tea is the second most commonly drank liquid on earth after water. It has numerous medicinal benefits mainly due to its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Chinese saying: Better to be deprived of food for three days, than of tea for one. Tea has been consumed socially and habitually by people for so long (since 3000 BC).

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Botanical name: Gordonia lasianthus

Common name: Loblolly Bay

Family: Theaceae

Origin: Southern United States

Ornamental attractive evergreen tree with large white showy flowers are about 3" in diameter that appear in late spring and sporadically throughout the summer. The flowers are fragrant and are attractive to many insect species. An excellent specimen tree or grove in wet areas and at the margins of lakes and ponds. The symmetric narrowly conical form of this tree makes it a most beautiful specimen standing in an expanse of lawn either singly or in groups. Young specimens can be grown in containers and strike an elegant note on the patio or in pairs flanking an entryway.