Could Florida Become America’s Next Tea-Growing Region?

The Florida Tea Project: From Soil to Cup — Part One

By Lorna Owens | Desert Sage Lifestyle Wellness

I sit in my chair, I sip tea.

And this morning, as I look out at the Florida landscape, I find myself returning to a question that has intrigued me for several years.

Could Florida become a tea-growing state?

Not simply a place where we drink tea, import tea, or celebrate tea culture, but a place where we actually cultivate Camellia sinensis, harvest its leaves, and produce distinctive teas that reflect the soil and climate of Florida.

Imagine sitting down to a cup of beautifully crafted tea, knowing that the leaves were grown just a few miles from your home.

It is a possibility worth exploring. And it is a conversation I believe we should be having.

Florida’s Agricultural Landscape Is Changing

For generations, citrus has been part of Florida’s identity. Orange groves shaped our agricultural economy, our communities, and even the way the world imagined our state.

But Florida’s citrus industry has experienced extraordinary challenges.

Citrus canker caused significant damage and disruption, while citrus greening disease, also known as huanglongbing, has been particularly devastating to production.

As citrus growers confront declining yields, rising costs, and the difficulties of maintaining productive groves, an important question emerges:

What other crops might flourish in Florida?

Could tea be one of them?

The University of Florida Has Already Asked That Question

Several years ago, I became interested in research being conducted through the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, commonly known as UF/IFAS.

Researchers were examining whether tea could be cultivated successfully in Florida and whether it might eventually become a viable specialty agricultural crop.

Their work included research in north-central Florida, including Citra and experimental growing sites associated with High Springs and Reddick.

I was sufficiently intrigued that I contacted individuals involved with the research, including a university professor and people connected to the High Springs work.

My interest extended beyond growing tea. I wondered whether Florida might eventually host a tea conference, bringing together agricultural scientists, tea growers, processors, tea educators, and members of the public.

After all, institutions such as the University of California, Davis, have demonstrated the value of bringing tea science and tea culture into the same conversation.

But before we can discuss a Florida tea industry, we must ask a more fundamental question.

Does Florida have the right terroir?

Understanding Terroir: Why Place Matters

Tea enthusiasts frequently hear the word terroir.

It is a French term associated with wine, but it is equally relevant to tea.

Terroir describes the environmental characteristics of a particular growing region: its soil, rainfall, temperature, elevation, sunlight, and other natural influences.

These conditions interact with the genetics of the tea plant and the decisions made by growers and tea makers.

Consider the difference between Assam and Darjeeling.

Both are celebrated tea-growing regions in India, yet their teas can be remarkably different.

Assam, with its warm, humid growing environment and comparatively low elevations, is celebrated for black teas that are often bold, rich, and malty.

Darjeeling, grown in the Himalayan foothills, is associated with teas that can be lighter, more aromatic, floral, and complex.

The plant is fundamentally the same species, Camellia sinensis, but genetics, growing conditions, harvest seasons, and processing produce very different experiences in the cup.

So what might Florida produce?

Could Florida’s Terroir Resemble Assam?

This is where the subject becomes especially interesting.

Florida has long, warm growing seasons, substantial humidity, and considerable rainfall.

In certain respects, those conditions resemble the lower-elevation, subtropical environments associated with Assam.

Tea also prefers acidic soil, and many Florida soils are naturally acidic.

But there are important complications.

Florida’s sandy soils often have limited water-holding capacity and low nutrient retention. Summer heat can be intense. Heavy rainfall may cause drainage problems, and periods of drought can stress young plants.

Tea requires thoughtful management, particularly during establishment.

And while Florida may share certain climatic characteristics with Assam, that does not mean its tea would necessarily taste like Assam tea.

Flavor is not determined by climate alone.

The tea cultivar, soil chemistry, growing practices, harvest timing, and processing methods all influence the final product.

A Florida-grown black tea might develop a rich, full-bodied character. Or perhaps the state will prove particularly well suited to distinctive green teas, oolongs, or other specialty styles.

The answer must come from growing, processing, tasting, and scientific evaluation.

What excites me is not the possibility of Florida imitating another famous tea region.

It is the possibility of Florida developing a tea identity of its own.

What Has the Research Shown?

University of Florida researchers have evaluated tea plant selections and different cultivation practices to better understand how tea performs under Florida conditions.

One selection, known as Fairhope, has shown promise in research conducted in the state.

Researchers have also investigated shade, ground-cover management, plant establishment, and tea quality.

These studies demonstrate that growing tea in Florida is more than an interesting idea. It has been the subject of legitimate agricultural research.

But we must distinguish between successful cultivation and commercial viability.

A plant may grow well without becoming an economically sustainable crop.

Tea requires skilled harvesting, specialized processing, appropriate equipment, and access to a market willing to pay for the finished product.

Those considerations are especially important in the United States, where agricultural labor costs can be considerably higher than in many traditional tea-producing countries.

Florida’s opportunity may therefore lie not in producing inexpensive commodity tea, but in developing a premium specialty tea industry.

America Is Already Growing Tea

The United States is not entirely new to tea cultivation.

South Carolina has an established history of tea growing, including the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island.

Mississippi has specialty producers experimenting with different styles of tea.

And Hawaii has developed an intriguing small-scale tea culture, with growers working in environments that differ substantially from those of the southeastern United States.

These operations offer valuable examples of how American-grown tea can reach consumers.

They also raise questions about what makes an American tea distinctive.

Could Florida become another chapter in that story?

More Than a Crop: An Opportunity for Florida

I believe the possibilities extend beyond agriculture.

Imagine a Florida tea-growing region where visitors could tour gardens, observe tea processing, attend tastings, and learn about the relationship between tea, culture, and wellness.

Imagine partnerships between universities, growers, local businesses, and hospitality organizations.

Imagine a Florida tea symposium bringing together researchers, agricultural entrepreneurs, tea professionals, and consumers.

And imagine an entirely new specialty crop providing opportunities for farmers seeking alternatives to traditional agricultural production.

These possibilities are exciting, but they must be examined realistically.

We need to understand whether tea can be grown consistently, processed economically, and sold at prices that support a sustainable business.

We also need to hear directly from the people who have already invested their time and expertise in this research.

The Conversation Begins

Over the coming weeks, I intend to revisit this subject and reconnect with individuals involved in Florida tea research.

I want to learn what has happened to the original growing trials, whether research is continuing, what scientists have discovered, and whether commercial growers see a future for tea in Florida.

I also want to explore the possibility of bringing these conversations into a public forum.

Perhaps a Florida tea conference is not such a distant idea after all.

For now, this is the beginning of a journey of inquiry.

One that takes us from the soil beneath our feet to the tea in our cups.

And perhaps, one day, to a distinctive Florida-grown tea that we can proudly call our own.

Next in the series: Part Two — Whatever Happened to Florida’s Tea-Growing Experiments?

We will explore the research conducted through the University of Florida, revisit the High Springs project, and seek answers about where Florida tea cultivation stands today.

Until then, I would love to hear from you.

Have you ever tasted American-grown tea? Do you know someone growing tea in Florida? Would you be interested in attending a Florida tea symposium?

The conversation begins here.

Desert Sage — The Art of Living Well, With Intention

Lorna Owens