The Tea Plant

This evergreen plant is a member of the Camellia family (Camellia Sinensis) and is grown in tropical and subtropical climatic conditions. The plant grows best in rich soil and requires at least 1500 mm of rainfall and is normally cultivated in hillside plantations.

Only leaves are used in tea and the higher the altitude in which the plant grows the better the quality the tea is. High-grown tea has a light and delicate flavour, while mid-grown tea is full-bodied and pungent. Low-grown tea is dark and it has a strong flavour.

There are two main tea varieties:

Camellia Sinensis - small leaf variety

Camillia Assamica - broad leaf variety

The largest grower and exporter of tea in the world is India and the quality and style can vary depending on the growing regions such as Darjeeling vs Assam. Japan produces almost exclusively various regional green teas such as Matcha, Sencha and Bancha. Ceylon, better known today as Sri Lanka, produces mostly black teas and is the fourth largest grower in the world. Tea is produced in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania. China is the second largest grower of tea in the world and produces varieties such as black, green, white and Oolong.

Harvesting

Harvesting begins when the plant reaches maturity usually around 4 years. At this stage the plant produces new shoot every 2 weeks called a "flush". The leaves are normally picked by hand and harvesting continues throughout the year. The best quality tea is picked in the dry monsoon season rather than in the wet season. Leaves grow quicker in the wet season but have less flavour than the leaves which are picked in the dry season.

Processing

Tea is processed in many different ways and the processing method used will determine what type of tea is produced.

White Tea is produced when only the youngest buds from the plant are picked. These buds are covered with whitish hair and require very little processing and no fermentation.
This tea has a delicate flavour and is a rare and more expensive tea.

Oolong Tea is produced when the leaves are withered, bruised, briefly fermented and then dried. This tea is also known as partially or semi-fermented tea and has the flavour of green tea and the body of black tea.

Black Tea is produced when the leaves are withered, rolled, fully fermented and then dried. They are full-bodied, robust and rich in flavour. They are mostly used in English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey and Chai tea.

Green Tea is produced when the leaves are withered, steamed to prevent fermentation, rolled, shaped and then dried. This tea remains green and caffeine-free whilst delivering a unique earthy flavour.