noun
tea plant; Camellia sinensis
Refers to the tea plant itself, the evergreen shrub whose leaves are used to make tea.
茶の木は暖かい気候でよく育つ。
Tea plants grow well in warm climates.
この地域では茶の木の栽培が盛んだ。
Tea plant cultivation is thriving in this region.
Compound of 茶 (cha, 'tea') + の (no, possessive particle) + 木 (ki, 'tree' or 'plant'), literally 'tea tree/plant'. The reading ちゃのき is a straightforward combination of these elements.