In Memoriam | Dr. Francis T.P. Zee (1954-2024)
Episode 167 | Spotlight
Twenty-five years ago, specialty tea was grown on fewer than five acres on the Big Island of Hawai’i, a remnant of the thousands of acres cultivated on large estates that flourished at the turn of the century. Thanks to an enterprising U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher and horticulturist, Francis Zee, Hawai’i now produces more specialty tea than any state in the U.S.
Zee, who was 70, passed away on March 29 in Honolulu, Hawai’i. He was remembered at a memorial service on May 11 attended by a close-knit cadre of tea growers inspired by his dedication and patient guidance.
Eva Lee, founder and CEO of Tea Hawai’i & Co. and a founding member of the Hawai’i Tea Society, describes how Zee’s vision continues to shape the future of Hawai’i tea.
Backyard Growers Re-energized Hawai’i Tea
By Dan Bolton
Dr. Francis T. P. Zee retired as Research Leader and Horticulturalist for the USDA ARS Daniel K. Inouye Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center after realizing his vision of reviving the Hawaii tea industry. He received his doctorate in horticulture at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he began working with tea cultivars for commercial production.
The failure of those attempting large-scale production led him to champion specialty tea grown in harmony with Hawai’i’s unique terroir.
In 2001, Zee explained to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin how cultivating specialty tea could transform the local tea industry. “This is just the beginning,” he said. “I believe many times these things start in the backyard. It has to become a hobby first,” he said, highlighting the potential for growth and expansion of the local tea industry at high-altitude farms like that founded by Eva Lee and her husband, Chiu Leong. Lee collaborated with Zee at their Volcano Village farm to develop locally acclimated rootstock at her nursery, producing 25,000 saplings primarily planted on Hawai’i farms but also in demand abroad.
Eva reminisces about working with the soft-spoken but direct-speaking Zee, a black belt in Kendo martial arts born in Hong Kong. She describes how his vision continues to shape the future of Hawai’i tea.
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