Camellia ptilophylla

Camellia ptilophylla, called “Cocoa tea plant” in English, belongs to the Theaceae botanical family. It is a shrub or tree that can be 6 m tall. Native to China, it grows in forests in the Chinese provinces of North Guangdong and South Hunan.

Naturally decaffeinated, cocoa tea is a common healthy beverage in southern China.

Research shows that water extract of white cocoa tea can be a useful chemotherapeutic agent against prostate cancer when green cocoa tea may be a resource to treat liver cancer.

The main constituents of Camellia ptilophylla green tea are theobromine, gallocatechins, proteins and carbohydrates. White cocoa tea contains more polyphenol content and shows higher antioxidative activity than green and black cocoa tea.

  • English name Cocoa tea
  • Chinese name Nankunshan maoyecha
Camellia ptilophylla