Like proud parents, we happily bring you the next milestone in the life of our tea plant! Flowers!
We adopted Camellia in March, when Master Gardener Brian Minter gave us Camillia as a gift. We posted photos on this blog, and several weeks later, when Camellia went through a growth spurt we posted some more photos showing the difference in the leaves as the shiny new leaves appeared and contrasted with the darker, more established leaves.
Camellia spent some time in our front yard this summer, soaking up the sun and continuing to grow. A week ago we noticed that there were small spheres forming and so we asked Brian if we could expect flowers. It seemed rather late in the year for flowers to start, but we got the news that this was the right season for Camellia's buds and flowers to form.
Notice the glossy green leaves. Don't they make you wonder what smooth cup is waiting to be enjoyed? The photo below, with the flower peeking out also shows the older more mature leaves that are flatter and a bit dull. These will make the incomparable oolong tea that I enjoy so much.
If you have a chance to stop by the shop, come on in and check out the flowers. Camellia looks like she will give us flowers for the next week or so :)