Camforest.com sells some camellia sinensis that it advertises good for Zones 7 and 6b so soil moisture is THE problem to consider. If you are concerned, give them a call to discuss that further. If you can provide as much as a constantly moist environment, they may be fine. While you can water now, there may restrictions imposed in future years on your watering.

Bud drop, if it happens due to temperature or moisture issues, would not be much of a problem since you do not care about the blooms, just the leaves. However, there may be a few years where lack of moisture could be severe (think: my area and nearby states with water restrictions) and, if that happens, be aware that you could loose plants. If that is ok, try them out!

We are highly unlikely to have water restrictions here. We're right on the Tennessee river next to the lake created by one of the TVA hydroelectric dams.

I see no reason why you should not try it then! Enjoy your tea, Edymnion!!!

So, any suggestions on planting locations? In front of the house like a box hedge? Out in the middle of the yard for full sun, or over at the edge of the woods where it'll get some afternoon shade?

Got a place in mind for it, which is currently occupied by a wild rose with some mixed in weed trees that I've been meaning to cut down and pull up, which would put it out in full sun on the top of a small hill.

They normally prefer afternoon shade during the summer months. I HAVE to do that here in Texas but, maybe further up north, these shrubs can withstand more sun since your sun is not as strong as it here in June-August. An East-facing wall produces shade in the afternoons so it is a "natural" location for camellias. But you can also place them on the east side of a tree/woods/etc that will produce the shade too. I also have a few on the north side however, since the overhang produces shade and protects them.

If you pick a spot that turns out to get too much sun, you may see that the leaves turn a bronze color. If that happens, you can transplant the shrub elsewhere.

luis_pr seems to speak from a generic horticultural camellia textbook. From my experience in growing and observing _Camellia sinensis_ in Zone 7b (Northwestern South Carolina), the tea plant is a virtually carefree garden subject, requiring little or no attention whatsoever. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and performs quite well without being fertilized. If I were you, I would plant _Camellia sinensis_ anywhere in your Tennessee landscape. Personally, I would prefer it planted well away from the house so that it can grow freely to its maximum size without having to be sheared, pruned, or, otherwise, hacked upon. However, _Camellia sinensis_ is masochistic enough to enjoy the infliction of a little pain via shearing, pruning, or hacking. One only need look at the closely cropped, or shorn, _Camellia sinensis_ of a commercial tea plantation to understand that it doesn't care a fig about a close clipping of its leaves and young twigs. Are you aware that the only commercial tea plantation in North America is on Wadmalaw Island just outside Charleston, SC--the American Tea Plantation?

As to soil requirements, my recommendation is that one shouldn't fret about them. Like all camellias, _Camellia sinensis_ prefers acidic, organic soil and average moisture. It doesn't give a hoot about heat and will tolerate occasional single-digit winter temperatures. Like all camellias, _Camellia sinensis_ can be troubled by scale insects. Here in northwestern SC, _Camellia sinensis_ flowers from the last days of August through September and early to mid-October. _Camellia sinensis_ sets seeds freely, and you will have volunteer tea plants coming up around the mother plant. Use _Camellia sinensis_ as a single specimen, as a hedge, or in groups. Just put them out and let them be, and they should be happy. Give them too much attention, and you may kill them with kindness.

You should have no problems growing camellia sinensis in your location. Jay 7bsc is correct that they can take full sun - I have seen numerous tea plantations in south China and they are all in full sun with 100F summers, normally growing on sides of hills or small mountains. If your plants are constantly moist, their roots will die. Obviously they need water like any other plant or shrub. My sinensis ('large leaf' I believe) is approximately 8 feet tall and I don't believe that they grow much taller. Most tea plants that I have seen are 3-4 feet tall because they are pruned for leaf production. I haven't grown any of it's seeds, but it has many every year. My plant is growing under a large pine tree and gets some morning sun and late afternoon sun - only place available when I planted it. It has seen 5F (one year) and >100F (many years - over 50 days 2011). It survived 2011 drought (no rain June thru Sept) and was only watered a couple of times during this period. When I water, I normally run a sprinkler steady for over 12 hours. My japonica, oleifera, reticulata and sasanqua camellias (approx 75) all survived the drought and heat, except for one japonica.

most definitely.

{{gwi:468739}}

I'm in McMinn County.

Well howdy neighbor.

The Fort O Holcomb's is getting a dozen plants in this year, I plan on getting one or two from them.

Edy, I'm curious about how your Tea-nessee experiment has gone. Have you had enough to harvest yet? How is that working?

I'm in middle TN and just planted my first camellia this past fall. I'm happy to report that it is covered in blooms that are about to open any day now. :)

Forgot to mention that I have Camellia Jerry Hill... It's about 2.5feet tall now.

My camellia is still doing great! It lost a lot of flowers when the temps dropped into the 20's a few weeks ago, but I have new ones still blooming. I just got back from a trip to South Carolina and have camellia-fever after seeing all of the beautiful specimens growing at some of the plantations there! If only I had more space for them!

I feel your "pain" for more space! hee hee hee! I always have issues with plants like camellias that need afternoon shade because I have more places with sun than shade. I remember going to Columbia and finding a very nice purple hydrangea that I considered bringing into the airplane with me back to Texas. But never did and regretted that to this day. I know the shade of purple could not be repeated in my alkaline soil but, oh boy, oh boy, it did not matter. Same thing happens when I see very nice pictures of camellias! Jury's Yellow, Pink Gold, Ballet Queen, Emberglow, H. A. Downing, Hagoromo (Higo Camellia) and others.....

I live in southwestern Tennessee and I recently ran into a hurdle with adding tea into our garden: two online nurseries (in two different states) would not ship tea plants to Tennessee! I did research to find that they cannot be shipped due to restrictions placed as a result of the spread of blight. I assume that there is still some way for Tenn. residents to purchase new tea plants while preventing the spread of blight. Can anyone recommend a local nursery? Any recommendations in the region (even outside of Tenn.) are welcome.

I would set up a separate post with this question; in the new post, mention which nurseries you already tried to contact.

PS - have you done an online search for "camellia sinensis for sale" or "camellia sinensis for sale near me"? All retailers outside Tenn will probably have the same restrictions; some restrictions however, may allow some states to ship and others not.. For example, the two retailers that you already checked may be in a location that has an issue that Tenn wants to protect itself from. Almost Eden Plants in Louisiana has camellia tea plants. Walmart sells them too but only online.

I'm in zone 8a, WA, and camellia sinensis (tea camellia) grows okay here. There's one growing in the local community garden.

Actually, I believe the leaves of almost any camellia can be used to make tea, but sinensis is more tender, has better flavor with less astringency, and has caffeine, unlike other species.