Theaceae, the tea family, is a family of flowering plants comprising shrubs and trees, including the economically important tea plant, and the ornamental camellias. It can be described as having from seven to 40 genera, depending on the source and the method of circumscription used. The family Ternstroemiaceae has been included within Theaceae; however, the APG III system of 2009 places it instead in Pentaphylacaceae. Most but not all species are native to China and East Asia.
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Camellia sinensis
26 articles
Camellia oleifera
1 articleEvery article on Plant News that mentions a member of this family, newest first.
Researchers studying tea farms in Lankaran, Azerbaijan found that adding small amounts of manganese, molybdenum, and zinc to the local poorly-drained soils helps tea plants absorb these nutrients better and improves the quality of the harvested tea leaves.
The tea leaves steeping in your afternoon cup come from a plant whose genetic blueprint just got mapped in far sharper detail,...
The camellia blooming in your garden or a neighbor's yard belongs to the same plant family now linked to a molecule that helps...
The turmeric in your spice rack and the green tea in your cupboard contain molecules that researchers are studying for their...
The soil microbes breaking down herbicide runoff near farms could someday do double duty, cleaning up atrazine contamination...
The tea plant in your garden or a nearby hillside carries its flavor in amino acids and polyphenols that vary by type, so a...
If you brew aged or fermented teas like Liupao, the microbes that ripen the leaves can also let mold toxins creep in, and this...
The next time you're babying a stressed plant through a dry spell, know that scientists are pinpointing the exact genetic...
The mushrooms that go slimy or brown in your fridge within two or three days could stay firm and fresh for over a week with a...
The turmeric in your spice rack and the green tea in your cupboard contain compounds that scientists are mapping as...
The tea you steep every morning contains a natural compound linked to relaxation, and this method could help growers and...
That St. John's Wort or green tea you're growing on the windowsill for a soothing cup can quietly cancel out blood thinners,...
If a single borrowed tea gene can help a tomato plant shrug off heat stress and produce riper, more nutritious fruit, it hints...
The compound behind this discovery, kaempferol, is the same flavonoid found in kale, broccoli, and the tea leaves growing in...
The turmeric in your spice rack, the green tea in your cup, and the grapes on your counter all contain molecules that...
The premium camellia oil you might buy for cooking or skincare is a common target for cheap oil substitution, and this new...
The tea in your cup likely came from a region where rainfall has measurably declined and drought frequency has risen over the...
Tea's wild relatives, tucked into the same family as your morning cup, are quietly disappearing from one of Earth's most...
The soil you tend around your tea plants or woody shrubs isn't just feeding roots — it's stocking the bark with the microbial...
Leaf shape in tea isn't cosmetic — narrow, elongated leaves roll differently during processing, oxidize at different rates,...
Blueberries you grow or buy could stay fresh significantly longer — and the packaging keeping them that way would decompose in...
Yellow tea plants, cultivated for centuries in China's mountain gardens and increasingly grown by adventurous tea enthusiasts...
Spent tea leaves from your morning brew — instead of heading to landfill — can be transformed into a soil amendment that...
Tea grown with beneficial soil microbes can produce healthier plants that need fewer pesticides — relevant if you grow...
Tea waste you might toss in the compost bin can be charred and worked into acid garden soils to neutralize toxic aluminum —...
The same compound that makes a cup of green tea taste smooth and less bitter, and that may help you feel calm, is now...
The turmeric you add to cooking, the green tea you brew, and herbal supplements like ginseng are doing something measurable...
The tea in your morning cup could become scarcer and more expensive as climate change stresses tea-growing regions — but...
Microplastics shed from plastic mulch, irrigation tubing, and synthetic garden materials enter your soil and food, potentially...
Olives, berries, and tea leaves you grow or buy at the farmers market are literally producing chemicals that your body uses to...
Tea's wild relatives, tucked into the same family as your morning cup, are quietly disappearing f...
