Description
Camellia sinensis ‘Fairhope Select’ has small, mid green leaves with pronounced serrated edges. It is a vigorous cultivar with lots of shoots for harvesting plus prolific flowers and seed. It has very good cold hardiness. This cultivar was previously called ‘Lipton Plantation’. The Lipton Tea Company started a tea research facility near Fairhope, Alabama but after only four years they bulldozed and burned all the plants. Local tea grower Donnie Barrett of Fairhope Tea Plantation saved three plants, one of which is ‘Fairhope Select’. Harvest or ‘pluck’ tea leaves during the warmer months. Select only the top three newly flushing young leaves from the branch tips. Research which method to use to dry and cure your leaves as this will determine which type of tea you get. Tea camellias becomes multi-branched and can reach 6 feet or more tall and wide in 10 years with profuse shoots to harvest from. Or keep shrubs pruned to any size you like.
