Perhaps I will not be mistaken if I say that tea is one of the most common drinks on Earth. It is prepared from the leaves of tea trees, which are native to countries in southeast Asia.
But since this drink has gained incredible popularity, today tea trees in the form of low shrubs are cultivated in regions with suitable climates around the world, even in Africa. You can try to grow them at home.
CHINESE CAMELIA
The tea tree belongs to the tea family, to the genus Camellia. Its official name is camellia sinensis.
Therefore, it not only gives fragrant leaves for a drink, but also blooms very nicely. At the end of September, white corollas up to 4 cm in diameter with large bright yellow anthers bloom on the tea bushes, exuding a delicate refreshing aroma.
By winter, the fruits ripen - round, three-leaved, dark green boxes with round, up to 1.5 cm in size, brown seeds inside. If you plant these seeds fresh, they germinate easily. However, as soon as they lie down for a couple of months, their germination rate drops sharply. Therefore, rarely anyone manages to grow a tea tree from seeds bought in a store. It is better to buy a seedling right away.
PLANTING A TEA TREE
Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 3 days in a warm boiled water. Then they are buried 3-4 cm into an acidic loose substrate, as for azaleas, or into the ground taken in the forest from under the fir trees, mixed with peat and sand (4:1:1).
Crops are moistened, covered with a film and placed in a warm (22-25 °) place. Tea seeds can germinate from one to several months. My seedlings (4 pieces) sprouted after 6 weeks. When sprouts formed 2 large sheet, I dived them into pots with a substrate and a drainage layer 5 cm thick at the bottom.
Tea does not like stagnant moisture.
CUTTING AND TRANSFER OF TEA
Seedlings that have grown to 15-20 cm should be cut to 10 cm from the soil to enhance tillering. On the next year plants are cut at a height of 20-30 cm. And then every year at the end of summer they correct the shape of the tea bushes. At home, it is rational to maintain them up to 50 cm high and wide. Cut lignified annual shoots can not be thrown away, but rooted in a moist substrate under a transparent bag or in a jar of water.
The first 3-5 years, the plants need to be transplanted every year into pots slightly larger than the previous ones. Then transplants are carried out 1 time in 2-3 years. It is important not to deepen the root neck.
MORE MOISTURE!
Tea trees are undemanding to lighting. My seedlings feel equally good at both southern and northern windows. But tea does not tolerate dry air and needs regular spraying (2-3 times a week) warm water, as well as in abundant watering. Twice a month it is necessary to feed the trees with solutions of complex fertilizers.
In summer, it is recommended to put the plants on the balcony or in the garden. On a hot afternoon, they are shaded with gauze. In winter they are kept on an unheated glazed loggia or on the veranda at a temperature of 12-15 °. I just move my trees closer to the windows and fence off the batteries with foil screens. I do not carry out top dressing until spring, I reduce watering. Seedlings bloom at the age of 1.5-2 years.
WELDING-CHOICE
The leaves of the tea tree are long (up to 10 cm) and narrow. They are harvested for making tea from 2-year-old plants and older. Tear off the tips of the shoots with two young leaves and a bud. Old coarse leaves are not suitable for a drink.
Then the harvested must be dried - there will be green tea brewing. Or you can ferment (wither and mash so that the juice stands out), and then dry it - you get black tea. I prefer to make them fresh. In this case, tea releases a maximum of vitamins into the water, which are up to 4 times more than in lemons. And in tea leaves there is a lot of caffeine, which has a tonic effect, and tannin, which normalizes digestion. The taste of homemade tea is different from the purchased one, but, in my opinion, in better side.
Growing tea at home - planting and care, tips and reviews
Homemade tea for samovar
Of course, we are not English, but we also have tea drinking - national tradition Already in what in what, and in tea we understand. But hardly many of us know that it is possible to harvest tea leaf on your own windowsill.
Having successfully grown a lemon at home, I, apparently by association (tea with lemon), thought: is it possible to grow a tea tree at home as well? The reference literature unequivocally convinced me that nothing is impossible in this, and after a while I bought a tea bush from an ad on the Internet. The price was rather big, but somehow fit into the family budget.
The tea bush is not only useful, but also beautiful, as it blooms with very cute white flowers for most of the fall. V room conditions the growth of this evergreen shrub will not exceed 50 cm. Tea is a photophilous culture, but a light shade will not harm the plant. At home, in winter, the tea bush needs a cool temperature, in summer it will be quite satisfied with 18-25 °. In winter, watering is very moderate, in summer - plentiful, and also - regular spraying. In the summer, he will gladly move to the balcony - fresh air will do him good.
To grow a tea bush you need acidic soil, not loose, but nutritious. Can be used ready soil for azaleas.
When the seedlings stretch up to 20 cm, I advise you to cut them to a height of 10 cm from the soil for better tillering. And in general, so that the bush does not grow too much, every year in the fall it should be cut by 5-6 cm.
If you shape it so that the crown is both compact and wide, then the tea leaf yield will be much larger.
When buying seeds, pay attention to their appearance: tea seeds should be brown and without any damage. You can start planting at the end of February, after soaking the seeds in water for three days. Seeds that float to the surface are discarded.
The tea tree belongs to the genus Melaleuca, which originates from the Myrtle family. In total, about 200 species are found in the botanical literature, which look like low evergreen shrubs or have the form of trees and grow mainly in Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea.
The leaf shape of the tea tree is oval. They are placed on branches without cuttings and alternately. Dense spherical inflorescences look like a brush or a lush panicle. The main vegetative feature of melaleuca is the presence of bunches of stamens in the flowers, which are collected in individual groups. In total, each bundle contains 5 stamens. At the beginning of flowering, the sepals die off. Then, in their place, hard seed pods appear, which are pressed tightly against the branch.
The tea tree is decorated not only with beautiful inflorescences, but also with light flaky bark. It has the ability to peel off in the form of thin long pieces, which is why melaleuca is often also called the paper bark tree.
The healing properties of the tea tree were even recognized a century ago. official medicine due to the rich content of essential oils in it, which have an antibacterial and antiviral effect. Based on its vegetative parts, valuable medicinal raw materials are produced.
Many flower growers consider melaleuca to be a picky houseplant, but in order to achieve permanent and abundant flowering must be followed certain rules care.
The area for growing the plant should be well lit, but direct sunlight should be avoided. In some cases, you can use artificial lighting, which is provided with the help of phytolamps. They turn on for a time equal to a normal daylight hours. Some plants grown in such conditions may re-bloom in winter. Insufficient amount of light adversely affects the growth of the tree, the leaves begin to fall off, which leads to the death of the entire shrub.
V winter period pots with a plant must be stored in a cool room and also provide additional lighting. V summer period try to avoid getting aggressive midday rays on the leaves. They can cause severe burns.
Melaleuca tolerates the heat quite well in the summer. In winter, in the absence of additional lighting, it is desirable for melaleuca to provide a cool air temperature of about 10 degrees.
The areas of distribution of wild-growing tea tree in nature are swamps and river banks, so the plant is moisture-loving and, accordingly, requires regular watering. Otherwise, with insufficient moisture, leaves fall and dry out. earthy coma eventually the plant dies. For irrigation, only settled water at room temperature is used, to which you can add a pinch citric acid or a couple of drops of vinegar. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced several times.
Melaleuca needs high air humidity, so it needs to be sprayed regularly, especially during the hot summer period. It is advisable to put a layer of expanded clay in the pot tray and add fresh water.
As a basis for growing a tea tree, only neutral soil or an earthen mixture consisting of peat, turf and sand is used, which is taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Melaleuca beautiful prefers a substrate filled with sand.
During the growth and development of the plant, melaleuca must be fed 2 times a month with a solution of complex fertilizers that are used for most indoor plants.
Adult specimens of melaleuca are transplanted every year in new pot larger diameter so that their root system can continue to fully grow and develop. In order to simplify the task, some flower growers, instead of transplanting, simply cut the roots of the tree and update upper layer soil.
Melaleuca requires periodic pruning to maintain its shrub or tree shape throughout the year. During pruning, dry seed pods are removed, which allows you to give the plant a neat and attractive appearance. appearance.
Annual shoots of young seedlings are also cut at a height of 10 cm, so that in the future they begin to gradually branch into a bush.
The tea tree can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. The seed method of reproduction is carried out on a thoroughly moistened soil substrate. After planting, to accelerate growth, the seeds are covered with glass, and the growing containers are stored at room temperature. After a week, the first shoots can be observed, but this process may slow down if the seed boxes are left in a cool room for a long time. The loss of young seedlings is almost inevitable, many of them die at the very beginning.
For cuttings, it is necessary to cut the longest cuttings. After that, they are planted in the soil or placed in a container filled with water to speed up the formation of roots. Sometimes special phytohormones are also added to the water, which affect the growth of cuttings.
It is possible to expect flowering during seed propagation only when the plant reaches the age of six.
Room melaleuca can often be affected spider mite, mealybug and others dangerous pests. As effective means to combat them, regular spraying of infected plants with insecticidal solutions of Aktelik, Akarin or Fitoverm is used.
Among the diseases of the tea tree, the most common are root rot, burn or leaf fall. In most cases, the main reason for their occurrence is improper care, which is sometimes not respected by the owners of the plant.
To date, the following varieties of tea tree are the most common:
Homeland is the northeastern part of Australia. This species is called one of the most common in the family. Melaleuca is often grown indoors on a windowsill. The plant has the appearance of a low green tree, which is characterized by slow growth. The leaves of this variety are similar to coniferous needles due to their green color and elongated narrow shape. The length of the leaves is about 1-3.5 cm, and the width is only 1 mm. The flowering period falls in the spring and continues until the beginning of summer. Cylindrical inflorescences of small diameter are painted white.
It is considered the second most common in the tea tree family and is only grown indoors. The country of growth of melaleuca diosmolifolia is Western Australia. The shrub is a plant with green short leaves that are ovoid and densely distributed along the side branches. Inflorescences of lemon or light green color reach a length of about 5 cm. They begin to form on branches in late spring.
It originally appeared in the southeast of Australia. On the coasts you can find low fast growing trees, which have gray-green elongated leaves. In the summer, they form white flowers with numerous stamens. Flowering is so rapid that the foliage becomes almost invisible. Due to this property, such a tea tree in most English-speaking countries began to be called "Summer Snow". For home growing flower growers brought attractive dwarf variety Melaleuki linen and gave it the name "Snowstorm".
This species is also called clawed honey myrtle, found in western Australia. The shrub also has its distinctive features from other species, namely: small and dark green leaves, pink unusual shape flowers. They are collected in the form of swirling inflorescences that resemble claws. Each of them gathers five groups of long stamens, fused together. For this reason, the plant is often referred to as "Claw Flower".
This big bush similar to Melaleuca linen, which differs from it only in the color of the flowers. Pink inflorescences have a spherical shape. They grow about 3 cm in diameter. Flowering begins in late spring and lasts for several months.
In addition to the above plants, in any specialized store that sells flower products, you can buy seeds and other tea tree varieties for home cultivation.
Important! Experienced flower growers advised to pay attention to the fact that often when describing melaleuca there is confusion, since it has a great similarity in external characteristics with Leptospermum paniculata or New Zealand tea tree. Even in botanical literature, you can find photographs of one species, and the characteristics and descriptions under them will refer to a completely different name. However, Leptospermum paniculata differs from the traditional tea tree in flowers and does not have valuable medicinal properties, so it is not used for medical and cosmetic purposes.
Melaleuca is the shortest genus of the Myrtle family. It is a small evergreen tree and shrub. The etymology of the name "melaleuka" (translated from ancient Greek - "black and white") is associated with frequent forest fires in tropical latitudes, as a result of which the light gray bark of the tree burns. Distribution areas - Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Philippines and the American tropics.
The second genus name is Australian tea tree. Contrary to popular belief, Melaleuca has nothing to do with the tea industry, since the homeland of the shrub, from the leaves of which the tart drink is made, is South Asia.
There are more than 200 species of Melaleuca in nature, and only two of them are cultivated as houseplants. Morphological properties of woody representatives of the genus are close to Eucalyptus. The dense, dark green crown resembles coniferous. The leaves are lanceolate, 1 to 20 cm long, arranged alternately with or without hardly noticeable petioles. The flowers are small, fragrant, collected in fluffy spikelets with long stamens. Interestingly, at home, the tea tree pleases with its flowering only for the sixth year.
In indoor crop production, it is valued for the ability to create a spectacular bonsai tree. The essential oils of the leaves are successfully used in aromatherapy, have healing properties: antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.
cultivation
The Australian tea tree does not tolerate direct sunlight, as leaf burns are possible. A well-lit place must be given to him in the western or eastern exposure. The tree is successfully cultivated in clay pots, as they grow, they are replaced with larger containers every one to two years.
Melaleuca needs regular top dressing with complex fertilizers twice a month in the spring and autumn. Recommended to repot every year in early spring, not forgetting about the mandatory drainage (perlite can be used).
For aesthetic purposes, it is necessary to prune strongly growing shoots to form a lush crown. Having studied the art of creating a bonsai culture, you can decorate the interior of the room with a stylish exotic miniature tree.
Diseases and pests
Mealybug, spider mite.
reproduction
Seeds and stem cuttings. Sowing of seeds and rooting of cuttings is carried out in March, in a small greenhouse under glass.
First steps after purchase
After purchase, it is recommended to slightly moisten the air around the plant using a sprayer. Australian tea tree tolerates well low temperatures, but it is better not to purchase it in cold weather. Water one to two days after transport from the flower shop.
Success Secrets
For successful cultivation It is important for Melaleuca to provide her with good lighting. The air temperature in the room should be moderate (up to +20°C). At home, it is better to refrain from experiments on a tree associated with hypothermia.
A typical representative of the tropical flora feels good when high humidity air, so it needs frequent and regular spraying, especially on hot summer days and during the heating winter season. It is recommended to water regularly from early spring to the end of autumn with settled, soft water. It is not necessary to fill the plant, it should be moistened only as the top layer of soil dries out noticeably.
Possible difficulties
Root rot
Causes: 1) waterlogging of the soil, especially in the autumn-winter period, 2) insufficient drainage.
The plant does not bloom
Reasons: 1) insufficient lighting, 2) insufficient top dressing.
Yellowing and shedding of leaves
Reason: dry air.
Melaleuca (Melaleuca) - other name Tea tree- evergreen trees and shrubs of the Myrtle family, which have a light, flaky bark, dry, eucalyptus-like leaves and fluffy flowers of white or yellowish color; usually low. Indoor plants are valued for unusual view- evergreen leaves can resemble needles, and many inflorescences resemble the most delicate light-colored bird fluff. Another feature of the leaves is that they are saturated with a fragrant essential oil, the smell of which is a bit like camphor - manufactured and distributed under the name tea tree oil.
Melaleuca - care:
Lighting:
Melaleuku don't keep it straight sunbeams, but it is better to choose a sunny location, only light partial shade is allowed, but then the plant will bloom less, does not tolerate a thick shadow. Because she needs all year round diffused light, then in winter it is necessary to highlight the plant with a fluorescent, LED or special phytolamp to provide a 12-hour daylight hours. In summer, it feels great on a sunny balcony or on the street. 
Temperature:
The temperature regime in summer should be between 16 - 21 ° C, and in winter Melaleuca will feel good at a temperature that is not lower than 10 ° C.
Watering:
It is recommended to water Melaleuca regularly and abundantly - in summer it is worth making sure that the soil is always moist, and in winter it is better to allow the top layer to dry out a little than to allow waterlogging and rotting of the roots.
Humidity:
Since Melaleuca needs high humidity air, then carry out regular spraying.
It is pumped through the plant and evaporated a large number of moisture, due to this, the humidity of the air in the premises increases, and this reduces the possibility of respiratory diseases of others.
Top dressing:
Top dressing with complex fertilizers is done from spring to autumn, it will be enough twice a month. You can also use liquid fertilizers- they are added to the water, which is intended for irrigation. The composition of the soil can be slightly acidic, it should mainly consist of sand, soddy soil and peat.
Transfer:
Melaleuca is transplanted almost every year, you just have to make sure that the substrate is well-drained, since the lack of drainage adversely affects root system plants. 
Reproduction:
Melaleuca can be propagated by seeds, as well as cuttings. Seeds should be sown in moist soil, covered with glass or a transparent bag and placed in a slightly shaded place, it is recommended to do regular ventilation and monitor soil moisture. Within two weeks, the first seedlings should appear.
When propagated by cuttings, good shoots are selected, cut off in the spring and planted in moist soil; to preserve moisture, you can cover with a film; placed for rooting in a shaded place.
Some features:
Phytoncidal properties are one of the positive factors due to which these plants are preferred. As a whole, and each separately, parts of plants have quite pleasant aroma. Essential oils from plants also have bactericidal properties. Melaleuca leaves are used to make decoctions, which are then used for diseases skin, and also make inhalations for diseases respiratory system. The frequency of colds is reduced if one or more copies of these useful plants are grown in the rooms.
Melaleuca - diseases and pests:
As a result, not quite proper care Melaleuca can be affected by mealybugs. The second pest that can affect Melaleuca when grown at home is the spider mite.
Europeans owe their acquaintance with the tea tree plant to the legendary Captain Cook: one of the members of his expedition brought the seeds of this bush to the Old World. With careful care at home, the tea tree grows well and even bears fruit. Of course, for brewing tea, the leaves of an indoor bush will only be enough for a couple of times, so they grow it as an ornamental plant.
tea bush plant (Thea) belongs to the tea family. Homeland - Southeast Asia.
In China and India, tea is harvested primarily by hand. Mostly young women and girls are engaged in this, although the collection of tea is physically hard and exhausting work. Leaves and buds are plucked and placed in baskets made of twigs, which are placed on the backs of the tea pickers. As well as manual method there are also tea collections mechanized methods. Special machines are used, as a rule, to collect the least valuable raw materials of tea branches and already mature leaves, which are used to make mainly pressed and extracted tea.
The quality of tea also directly depends on the time of collection of raw materials. Elite varieties of tea are made from unopened flushes and buds of the tea bush, which were collected in the early morning before sunrise or in the evening after sunset.
It is believed that tea harvested during daylight hours has greater astringent properties and a more pronounced bitter taste. In addition, this tea reduces the amount of caffeine and vitamins.
Tea tree in culture
The tea bush got its name by chance. In 1770, the legendary captain James Cook landed on the coast of Australia, and the sailors of the expedition, following the example of the natives, began to brew tea from the leaves of a shrub that grew on the coast. The expedition's naturalist Joseph Banks collected samples of the plant and brought it to London, christening it the tea tree. This name has taken root, despite the fact that the shrub has nothing to do with tea, but essential oil contained in the leaves, even toxic. The official name Melaleuca was given by Carl Linnaeus, who thus described the appearance of the plant: mela in Greek means “black”, and leuca means “white”. The fact is that the bark of the shrub has an interesting property: it is constantly “peeling off”, exposing the light inner layers, while the outer layers look charred.
The tea tree is very water-loving, and therefore the inhabitants of Australia planted it in swampy areas to drain the soil - the roots of the trees drank so much liquid that the soil quickly became drier. At the beginning of the XX century. he was brought to Florida for this purpose. However, after several decades, tea tree plantations began to grow uncontrollably and changed the flora and biocenosis of many parts of the Florida swamps, which to this day is a serious environmental problem.
The tea tree belongs to evergreens, its leaves grow in peculiar panicles, very similar to those used for cleaning. Tea tree flowers are described as similar to bottle brushes. australian aborigines It was believed that the strong and fresh scent of tea tree leaves kept the home clean and prevented infection. Indeed, as it turned out, tea tree leaves contain a specific complex - an essential oil with powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. Thus, cleaning the premises with panicles of fresh tea tree leaves and flowers was akin to modern disinfection, in which surfaces are wiped disinfectant solution and exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
The tea tree bush is able to grow on scarce stony soils, rocks. This plant is hardy and quite unpretentious. The tea bush can adapt to a variety of climatic conditions, endures heat and cold. It is not subject to "epidemic" diseases, which pose a great danger to many tropical and subtropical crops. The plant is durable - bushes can live and bear fruit for more than 100 years.
In China, tea was introduced into culture in the middle of the 4th century, in Japan it became known only 500 years later, and around the same time it spread to Korea.
Tea came to Europe in the 16th century, and in different ways - to Western Europe from India, Sri Lanka and South China, and to Eastern Europe - from North China in 1638. Tea was presented to the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich as a remedy for "colds and headaches." For a long time drink made from dried Chinese leaf"was used as a healing potion. And the first tea bush was brought to Russia in Nikitsky Botanical Garden in the Crimea in 1817 and in Georgia - in the middle of the 19th century.
V Western Europe this drink was called "ti", as in the southern Chinese dialect, and in Eastern Europe it began to be called tea from the northern Chinese "cha". In translation, both names mean the same thing: “young leaf”.
In the UK with light hand The Duchess of Bradford, who decided that the break between traditional English lunch and dinner was too long, the tea ceremony since 1840 has become an obligatory national ritual. At precisely 5 pm local time, known there as "fife o clock", the whole of Great Britain sits down at the tea tables; 200 million cups of tea, according to statistics, are drunk by the British in one day (an average of 4.5 cups per person). This is half of all the liquid they drink.
As for Russia and other East Slavic countries, a lot of time passed until our ancestors, accustomed to kvass and tinctures, various plants really appreciated this wonderful drink.
Long time in different countries tea was drunk only by wealthy people, because it was not cheap. This sometimes caused displeasure of the population. So, protesting against the exorbitant high prices for tea established by the British government, residents of the North American city of Boston, one of the centers of the then British colony in North America, captured the English ship that arrived there and threw all its cargo - bags of tea - into the sea. This episode went down in history as the "Boston Tea Party" and marked the beginning of the liberation war of the population of the British colonies in North America, which eventually led to the emergence of the current United States of America.
Nowadays, tea is cultivated on an industrial scale in more than 30 countries around the world.
The scientific name for tea is camellia sinensis.
Now 24 varieties of camellias are known and described, most of which are herbaceous plants. Some of their species are grown only for decorative purposes.
What does a tea tree look like: description, photo of leaves and flowers of a bush
The tea bush is a small evergreen tree, more often a shrub that grows up to 50 cm in room conditions. Young shoots are covered with delicate silvery hairs (in Chinese - "bai hao", hence the name of the tea being prepared - bai).
As you can see in the photo, the leaves of the tea bush are small (4-10 cm), with short internodes:
The flowers of the tea bush are white, with a delicate pleasant aroma and bright yellow, very beautiful stamens. The fruit of the tea bush is a box with rounded brown seeds.
Growing a tea tree at home, as practice shows, is not difficult. Indoors, this plant can regularly bloom and bear fruit. Blooms in September - November, the seeds ripen the next year
Grows well at home
Assamese tea (Th. assamica)
Chinese tea (Th. sinensis).
Chinese tea bush (Thea sinensis L.) is a small shrub, which is a low, not very densely branched tree.
This plant belongs to the tea family (Theaceae). Chinese tea tree can be Chinese and Japanese varieties.
The height of this shrub is on average from 60 to 100 cm. In China, specimens of the tea tree reach a greater height. For example, in Gaolis County, they grow up to 16 m. The trunk of such a tea tree is very powerful. Of course, the leaves of such trees can no longer be used in high-grade tea compositions, but it is quite possible to get aesthetic pleasure from contemplating this plant.
See what a tea tree looks like in these photos:
leathery tea leaves oval shape, their edge is sharp-toothed. Young, only unfolded leaves are covered with a barely noticeable silvery fluff. Since the tea tree belongs to the category of deciduous, therefore, its leaves live no more than one year, and then fall off. But during the entire period of their growth and maturation, the leaves remain green in color, almost do not change their color. Younger leaves are more light shade, and mature over time acquire a rich green color.
Tea tree flowers are white Pink colour, with numerous stamens. Flowers spread a light fragrant aroma, which does not even remotely resemble the smell of a drink prepared from the leaves of this tree.
Tea tree fruits ripen in October-November, almost a year after the start of the first flowering. The fruit is a box that can be opened along the wings. Inside each box is a small number of seeds (from 1 to 6 depending on the size of the fruit and the age of the tree). Tea tree seeds are about the size of a hazelnut, covered with a hard rind.
The following describes how to grow a tea bush at home.
How to grow a tea tree at home and how to care for a bush
Like all subtropical plants, indoor plant tea tree requires a lot of sun, fresh air, cautious and plentiful - in the summer. V good conditions the tea bush grows beautifully, blooms and bears fruit.
When caring for a tea tree, do not forget that this culture is photophilous, and tolerates a weak shadow well.
Clay and loamy soils, not very loose, but nutritious, are most suitable for growing a tea bush. The substrate should be nutritious, fertile, acidic: soddy land, humus, peat, sand (1:1:1:1), pH 4.5-5.5. You can use ready-made soil for azaleas.
How to grow a tea tree: home care
In summer, watering is plentiful, in autumn and winter - moderate.
To take care of the tea tree as carefully as possible, during the growth period, from April to September, the plants need to be fed twice a month with a complete mineral fertilizer.
Transshipment of a plant up to 5 years is carried out annually, in the future, the topsoil is replaced.
For better tillering, when the seedlings reach 15-20 cm, they are cut to a height of 10 cm from the soil. To prevent the bush from growing, annually in the fall it should be cut by 5-7 cm. To obtain beautiful shape you need to cut it in spring and early summer, forming a bush. To increase the yield of tea leaves, the bushes are given a compact wide crown.
This video shows how to care for a tea tree at home:
To breed a tea tree, as practice shows, it is enough to sow the seeds in the soil mixture immediately after harvesting. Can be propagated by cuttings in early spring.
Tea Tree Essential Oil: Properties and Uses
Essential oil destroys pathogens not only on treated surfaces, but also in the air due to the fact that it consists of volatile compounds. This property of the leaves was used, of course, in traditional medicine: heated and soaked tea tree leaves were used as dressings for wounds, to treat burns. Tea tree essential oil has also been known to be used to treat snake, insect, and animal bites.
Modern research has shown that tea tree leaf extract (essential oil) is similar in composition to the leaf extract of another Australian plant - eucalyptus. It contains a lot of eucalyptol, a compound that was considered unique to eucalyptus, as well as terpenes - terpinene, terpineol, terpinolene and other compounds. Back in 1920, the Australian chemist Arthur Penfold proved experimentally that tea tree oil is 11 times superior in its disinfectant properties to carbolic acid. It was then that the history of the use of this ingredient in cosmetology began. In 1949, tea tree oil was included in the British Pharmaceutical Code. The antibacterial effect is provided primarily by 4-terpineol, which, according to the standards adopted in Australia, must be at least 30% in the oil.