Wuzhou Camellia Oil

Wuzhou Camellia Oil

　　Camellia oil comes from the camellia tree, also known as bitter tea, Jian tea, or white-flower tea. Its scientific name is Camellia-Oilfera Abel, and its English name is Oiltea Camellia. This evergreen broadleaf small tree, which remains green throughout the seasons, is one of the world’s four major woody oil crops and a unique, naturally produced, high-grade oil resource in China. With a national annual output of only around 200,000 tons, it is extremely precious.

The nutrients in camellia seeds come entirely from pristine, unpolluted air and fertile soil. They grow naturally year-round in the continuous, undulating mountain ranges. Mature trees reach a height of about three meters, often have a lifespan of over 100 years, and some can live for 400–500 years. It is a unique oil-producing tree species in China, found only in certain high-altitude regions of a few southern provinces and counties. Experts call it a “heavenly gift to China” and the “king of oils.”

The flower buds of the camellia tree begin to form between April and May each year, and the flowers bloom from October to November. At the same time, the camellia fruits from the previous year are nearly ripe. Flowers and fruits coexist on the same branch, which is why the camellia tree is fondly referred to by locals as the “tree that holds its child while pregnant.” The maturation cycle of the camellia fruit is long, taking nearly seven seasons—from spring to winter—for the fruit to ripen from flowering, nourished by mist and clouds throughout, absorbing the essence of nature. It is truly a rare treasure on Earth. The camellia fruit, commonly known as camellia seed or oil-tea seed, is spherical or peach-shaped and can be refined into an important natural, green, organic, health-promoting edible oil—camellia oil.