Love tea and gardening? Why not grow your own specialty teas? This list shows a variety of plants you grow for their leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and roots to produce delicious, homemade teas.
If you would like to grow herbs see, see How to Grow Herbs for Beginners.
Grow Your Own Tea Plants
There are so many different plants that can be used to create delicious homemade teas. The key is to know which plant grow, how to harvest it, and what part of the plant creates the tea.
I’ve listed the plant options here by their tea parts. I’ve also listed plant hardiness zones but this can vary depending on variety so check your plant tags or seed packets to ensure they are suitable.
If you want to save the plant list for future reference, click here to save it to your device.
Want to dry your herbs to save them for later? See how to harvest and dry herbs including traditional and modern methods.
Contents
Important
This list is for information purposes only and is used entirely at your own own risk. Many plants, including ones listed here, have medicinal uses that should be understood, respected, and treated with caution. Do your research and put your safety first.
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List of Tea Plants
Tea From Plant Leaves
Camellia sinensis, or tea plant is the most popular plant used for tea-making on earth. Commercial growers use it to produce white, green, oolong, and black teas, using various parts of the plant at different stages of growth, combined with different processing methods, to come up with these various types of tea.
Green tea, for example, comes from the young, top leaves and buds in spring.
There are two main varieties which require warmer growing zones:
- Camellia sinensis var. sinesis originates from China and is hardy in USDA Zones 7-9, sun to part-shade.
- Camellia sinensis var. assamica from Assam, India, is a tropical plant suitable for USDA Zone 10b.
You may find these tea plants in some garden nurseries in Canada and the United States, or by mail-order, but you will also need the right, year-round growing conditions to sustain them.
Have a look at the lists (below) for many more options that may work for you. The USDA growing zones listed are general. There can be significant variations so please check on the specific plants you are choosing at the garden nursery.
More Plants to Grow for Tea Leaves
- Anise Hyssop | Agastache foeniculum | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Bronze Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Cardamom | Elettaria cardamomum | USDA zone 10a – 11
- Feverfew | Tanacetum parthenium | USDA zone 5a – 9b
- Hyssop | Hyssopus officinalis | USDA zone 3a – 11
- Lemon Balm | Melissa officinalis | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Lemon Basil | Ocimum × africanum | USDA zone 9-11
- Lemongrass | Cymbopogon citratus | USDA zone 9-10
- Lemon Verbena | Aloysia triphylla | USDA zones 9-10 | If you love lemon, this is the a good choice.
- Manuka | Leptospermum scoparium | USDA zone 9a – 11
- Apple Mint | Mentha suaveolens | USDA zone 5a – 9b
- Black Peppermint | Mentha x piperita | USDA zone 3a – 7b
- Chocolate Mint | Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate’ | USDA zone 3a – 11
- Eastern Mint | Mentha longifolia subsp. schimperi | USDA zone 6a – 9b
- Ginger Mint | Mentha x gracilis ‘Variegata’ | USDA zone 5b – 9b
- Lavender Mint | Mentha ‘lavender’ | USDA zone 5 – 9
- Moroccan Mint | Mentha spicata var. crispa “Moroccan’ | USDA zone 4 – 10
- Peppermint | Mentha x piperita | USDA zone 3a – 7 b
- Pineapple Mint | Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’ | USDA zone 5a – 9b
- Spearmint | Mentha spicata | USDA zone 4a – 11
- Strawberry Mint | Mentha ‘strawberry’ | USDA zone 4 – 10
- Swiss Mint | Mentha spicata ‘Swiss’ | USDA zone 3a – 7b
- Monarda | Monarda| bee balm | USDA zone 3a – 9b
- Mountain Pepper | Drimys lanceolata | USDA zone 7 – 10
- New Jersey Tea | Ceanothus americanus | USDA zone 4a – 10b
- Olive Tree Leaves | Olea europaea | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Pineapple Safe | Salvia elegans | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Raspberry | Rubus idaeus | USDA zone 3a – 8b
- Rosemary | Salvia rosmarinus, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis | USDA zone 7a – 10b
- Tangerine Sage | Salvia elegans ‘Tangerine Sage’ | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Pineapple Sage | Salvia elegans ‘Scarlet Pineapple’ | USDA zone 8 – 11
- Scented Geranium | Pelargonium graveolens| USDA zone 10a – 11
- Stevia | Stevia rebaudiana | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Sweet Tea Vine | Gynostemma pentaphyllum | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Lemon Thyme | Thymus citriodorus | USDA zone 3b – 11
- Variegated Lemon Thyme | Thymus x citriodorus ‘Variegatus’ | USDA zone 6 – 9
- Orange Thyme | Thymus citriodorus ‘Fragrantissimus’ | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Tulsi/Holy Basil | Ocimum tenuiflorum/Ocimum sanctum | USDA zone 10b – 11
- Winter Savoury | Satureja montana | USDA zone 5a – 8b
Buy Herbal Tea Seed Collection | Botanical Interests
Tea From Fruit
- Blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum | USDA zone 3a – 8b
- Lemon | Citrus x limon | USDA zone 8a – 11
- Myrtle | Myrtus communis | USDA zone 8b – 11
- Rose Hips | Rosa rugosa | USDA zone 2a – 9b | Rose hips are the fruits that form from rose flowers.
- Strawberry | Fragaria | USDA zone 5a – 9b
Tea From Flowers
- Calendula | Calendula officinalis | USDA zone 3 – 9
- Roman Chamomile | Chamaemelum nobile | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- German Chamomile | Matricaria recutita | USDA zone 5 – 8
- Honeysuckle | Lonicera | USDA zone 4a – 9b*
*Avoid invasive species including Lonicera japonica. I’ve listed native honeysuckle options here. - Jasmine| Jasminum sambac “Maid of Orleans” | USDA zone 9a – 11
- Jasmine | Jasminum officinale | USDA zone 9a – 11
- Lavender | Lavandula angustifolia | USDA zone 5a – 8b | English lavender cultivars work best
- Linden Tree Flowers | Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos | USDA zone 3a – 8b
- Rose| Rosa | USDA zone 2a – 9b
- Saffron | Crocus sativus | USDA zone 6z – 9b
- Violet | Viola odorata | USDA zone 4a – 9b
Tea From Roots
- Angelica | Angelica archangelica | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Chicory | Cichorium intybus | USDA zone 4a – 11
- Dandelion root | USDA zone 3a – 10b
- Echinacea, Echinacea augustifolia, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea purpurea | USDA zone 4a – 8b
- Ginger| Zingiber officinale | USDA zone 8b – 11
- Licorice | Licorice Glycyrrhiza glabra | USDA zone 7a – 9b
- Valerian | Valerian officinalis | USDA zone 4a – 9b | natural sleep aid, attractive to cats
Tea From Seeds
- Cilantro / Coriander | Coriandrum sativum | USDA zone 10 – 11
- Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | USDA zone 4a – 9b
- Fenugreek | Trigonella foenum-graecum | USDA zone 8b – 11
Frequently Asked Questions
A few good reasons to grow your own tea plants include flavor, freshness, and variety. Plus, if you follow organic growing practices, your tea should be herbicide-free. It’s also fun to experiment with flavor combinations to come up with your own special brew.
The flavor of tea comes from the oils within the plant. Slow-drying or dehydrating tea plants can also intensify the flavors.
Flavor is also influenced by the water used to make the tea, the tea-making method, as well as the temperature, teapot, teacup, and tea infuser used. A good cup of tea can be complete luck or an intentional work of art.
To grow your own teas, first learn which plants can be used for tea and which ones are suitable for your growing zone, climate, and conditions. Be sure to choose teas you like so you will take good care of your tea plants.
The most popular tea worldwide is black tea made from the camellia plant (Camellia sinensis) which accounts for close to 75% of tea consumption.
You can dry herbs the traditional way by hanging them to air dry or by using an oven, toaster oven, food dehydrator, or microwave oven. This has complete instructions on how to dry herb leaves.
Resources
Free List of Tea Plants
Empress of Dirt
FREE TIP SHEET
Grow A Tea Plant Garden
Includes plant lists from this article.
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Tea Basket For Keeping Tea Warm
Shop for Tea Garden Seeds
This collection comes from Botanical Interests. Shipping is to United States only.
Buy Herbal Tea Seed Collection | Botanical Interests (US Only)
Book
My favorite resource is the book Homegrown Tea: An Illustrated Guide to Planting, Harvesting, and Blending Teas and Tisanes by Cassie Liversidge.
The book features growing tips, harvesting tips, and how to prepare tea from each plant.
Teabag Trivia
Teabags were an accidental invention. In 1908, Thomas Sullivan, a New York tea dealer, shipped tea samples in silk bags. Instead of removing the tea from the bags, the recipients went ahead and brewed the tea right in the bags. And from there, the idea caught on.
When I was a kid, we always had a tea basket for keeping the teapot warm and it was one of the first things I bought when I moved out on my own. The insulated basket is made to fit one teapot and two cups. Close the lid and your tea will stay warm a nice long time.
I couldn’t see any to link to on Amazon, but we used to buy them in shops in Chinatown in Toronto. Well worth it, if you can find one.
I hope you will consider growing your own plants for tea. A good book like Homegrown Tea has complete instructions for preparing the plants. It’s fun to explore various flavors and come up with your own perfect brew.
Cheers,
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛