Classification and Cultivation Methods of Tea Trees
Here, we share some basic knowledge about the tea tree, including its classification and cultivation methods. Details are as follows:
Our country is the earliest in the world to plant tea, process tea, and drink tea, with a history of tea tree cultivation spanning several thousand years.
Tea trees belong to the Camellia genus of the Theaceae family, and are perennial evergreen woody plants. They are usually shrubs, but in tropical areas, there are also arboreal tea trees that can reach a height of 15-30 meters, with a trunk circumference of over 1.5 meters and an age of several hundred to a thousand years. Cultivated tea trees are often pruned to inhibit vertical growth, so their height is mostly between 0.8 and 1.2 meters. The economic tree age of tea trees is generally between 50 and 60 years.
The leaves of tea trees are elliptical, with serrated edges and five-petaled white flowers between the leaves. The fruit is flat and round, triangular in shape, and the seeds are exposed after the fruit opens. Tea leaves can be harvested in spring and autumn for making tea, and the seeds can be pressed for oil. The wood of tea trees is dense and can be used for carving. There are many varieties of tea trees used for tea production, mainly from India (Assam), China, and Cambodia.
Our country has studied the main characteristics and properties of tea tree varieties, taking into account the current habits of variety classification. We classify tea tree varieties into three categories based on three main characteristics: tree type, leaf size, and germination time, forming a tea tree variety classification system. The classification standards for each level are as follows:
The first-level classification system is called "type." The classification characteristic is the tree type, mainly determined by the height and branching habits of the plant under natural growth conditions. It is divided into arboreal, small arboreal, and shrub types.
(1) Arboreal type: This type is more primitive and distributed in natural areas similar to the original tea tree habitats, that is, tropical or subtropical regions in our country. The plants are tall, with a distinct main trunk from the base to the top, with a racemose branching habit, high branching position, and sparse leaves. The leaves are large, with a length variation range of 10-26 cm, and most varieties have leaf lengths over 14 cm. The palisade tissue of the leaves is generally one layer.
(2) Small arboreal type: This type belongs to the evolved type. It has stronger resistance to adversity and is distributed in subtropical or tropical tea-growing areas. The plants are taller, with a distinct main trunk from the base to the middle of the plant, but not obvious at the top. The branching is relatively sparse, and most varieties have leaf lengths between 10 and 14 cm, with the palisade tissue of the leaves mostly two layers.
(3) Shrub type: This type also belongs to the evolved type, with the most varieties. It is mainly distributed in subtropical tea-growing areas, and is widespread in most tea-growing areas in our country. The plants are short and have no distinct main trunk. The branching starts from the base of the plant, with dense branches, smaller leaves, and a large variation range in leaf length, from 2.2 to 14 cm. Most varieties have leaf lengths below 10 cm, with the palisade tissue of the leaves 2-3 layers.