# tea plant blooms



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

So did you see your bees on the flowers? What color is the pollen anyway?
Maybe I can get one on ebay to ship here as I need one too.


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## mlanden (Jun 19, 2016)

beepro said:


> So did you see your bees on the flowers? What color is the pollen anyway?
> Maybe I can get one on ebay to ship here as I need one too.


Yep, the bees were making lots of time with the blooms. The pollen's basic yellow. I use the fresh leaves for making my own tea (black, green, white, oolong), and since some of the plant's seeds sprout, I end up with little tea bushes I can give to people as gifts. The Asians I know really love it. So, it's a win-win for everybody -- me, the bees, the plant, the Asians, etc ..... Not to mention, the bush itself is beautiful. I bought mine (cheap) from Raintree in Seattle. It's a variety from the Sochi area of Russia. Tough enough for cold weather yet doesn't mind our intense/moist summers.

Mitch


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

Camellia (both sinensis and floral forms) are universally reported as toxic nectar to bees due the presence of the the strychnine-like alkaloid *gelsemine* in the nectar.

Gelsemine is famously known from the nectar of *Carolina Jessamine* - a south east US native that is implicated in many bee deaths, especially in Texas.

Interestingly, some native bees (Mason, etc) are able to consume the nectar without harm, illustrating the evolutionary principal that causes the toxic nectar to develop in the first place.

Sorry to break the news. The old beeks in your area can fill you in on the dangers of Jessamine poisoning.

There were reports of Jessamine poisoning bees in late spring of 2016 from Texas as the migratory expansion has pushed into new holding areas along the Texas coast. 








source;
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00218839.1986.11100701
Toxicity of Nectar of Tea (Camellia Thea L.) to Honeybees
a paper with a reverse result: http://www.journalrepository.org/media/journals/AJEA_2/2015/Nov/Saito1042015AJEA21811.pdf I think this can explained as sub-lethal exposure in a mixed nectar.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3896/IBRA.1.51.3.09
http://garyentsminger.com/elliott et al. 2008.pdf

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2311.2007.00974.x/abstract

http://gardenoftomorrow.com/carolina-yellow-jessamine-gelsemium-sempervirens/


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Too bad then. I think the deep red quince thorn less trees should provide some early
season pollen and nectar for my bees. Worth the switch.


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## mlanden (Jun 19, 2016)

JWChesnut said:


> Camellia (both sinensis and floral forms) are universally reported as toxic nectar to bees due the presence of the the strychnine-like alkaloid *gelsemine* in the nectar.
> 
> Gelsemine is famously known from the nectar of *Carolina Jessamine* - a south east US native that is implicated in many bee deaths, especially in Texas.
> 
> ...


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