Could Oregon Become a Tea Growing Region?

You’ve probably noticed camellia bushes blooming at odd times of the year around the Willamette Valley — tender pink and white petals set in glossy leaves peek out from yards and flowerbeds in early and late winter. But a relative of flowering shrubs camellia japonica and camellia sasanqua is less common in our region. A group of willing growers who met on a recent Sunday in Eugene are working to make camellia sinensis —commonly known as tea — a local product.

Oregon, and particularly Eugene, already is becoming known as a hub of food manufacturing and production. While we may not cultivate coffee beans, we are a source of craft coffee, beer and, of course, wine. And hop and malt growing are on the rise in our state. So given that tea grows in our climate zone, it was only a matter of time before Oregonians started growing tea, right?

*reported by the Register Guard