Herbal Journal: What is Tea? (Camellia sinensis)

Morning sunlight on a tea plantation in Indonesia.

Have you ever wondered what "tea" is, exactly? The word tea gets thrown around pretty loosely and is typically used to describe any mixture of ingredients that you brew in water, steep and drink. But when when talking about actual tea (green tea, white tea, black tea, etc.) then we are talking about the leaves of the tea plant camellia sinensis.

Countless posts could be written on various plants and herbs and their uses in tea, or more appropriately called a "tisane" or hot water herbal infusion. But today we are specifically looking at the actual tea plant Camellia sinensis and how those leaves are used to make what we know and love as traditional "tea".

The Tea Plant - Camellia sinensis

To understand tea we first need to understand the plant. Camellia sinensis is a species of evergreen shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions of China, East Asia and India. This shrub can grow into a tree if left alone, but they are pruned and kept around waist height for easy harvesting.

The leaves are the most common part of the plant used in tea but the buds and stems are also used for certain varieties (try some Kukicha twig tea, delicious). The tea plant is in the plant family Theaceae.

The plants like acidic and well-draining soil with full sun to partial shade, and lots of humidity. Tea plants are fairly water-intensive. It grows well in USDA hardiness zones 7 - 9, which means most locations in the United States are not suitable for outdoor growing. However, there are American tea plantations in the Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. The tea plant can be grown indoors in containers and do well.

Tea for commercial cultivation is grown in shrubby rows on tea plantations. Most tea is still handpicked to this day.

Tea harvest on a plantation in China

Harvest typically begins in March and runs through September or October. Throughout the growing season tea plants sprout tender new leaf buds in a series of growth surges called "flushes". Most tea regions experience three or four distinct flushes during each crop year.

During the winter the tea plant goes dormant and their energy and nutrients are stored within the roots. In the spring these nutrients are drawn up and become concentrated in the new growth. For this reason, the spring harvest, or “first flush”, is typically the most prized of the year.

Even though all tea is from the same plant, like coffee, tea can become highly nuanced in quality, aroma and flavor depending on how and where they are grown. Tea grown in mountainous regions at high elevations can be some of the most sought after.

Different Types of Tea

While different types of tea such as white tea, green tea, black tea and Oolong tea all come from the same plant, the difference lies in how the leaves are processed once harvested.

The most notable difference in how white, green, black and oolong teas are made is a natural process called oxidation. Oxidation is why fruit will wither and turn brown when they are cut or opened. Applying heat to tea leaves stops the oxidation process. While there are many differences in how different varieties of tea are made, the key difference is when, once the tea leaves are plucked, is heat applied to stop the oxidation process.

White tea: White tea is made by first hand picking the tender young leaves of the plant. The leaves are spread out to wither, then are air-dried and gently heated with charcoal to stop oxidation. White tea is only oxidized 8% - 15%, giving it the "white"/light color and delicate and floral flavor.

Green Tea: Green tea is also known as the un-oxidized tea. Oxidation is a key step in the creation of white, black and oolong teas, however green tea is never oxidized, allowing it to keep its characteristic green color and grassy and earthy flavor. Green tea is harvested, withered (sometimes) and dry heat or steam is applied to immediately stop oxidation. The leaves are then rolled and dried.

Black Tea: Black tea is oxidized the longest before having heat applied, hence its brown to black color and rich, bold taste. Black tea is made by withering, rolling, oxidation (several hours in a humid environment), heating and drying. Black tea is 100% oxidized.

Oolong Tea: Oolong tea is partially oxidized between 10% - 70%, so it really spans the spectrum from light and floral, to rich and deep flavor and color.

The world of tea is pretty amazing. The history, the culture, the ritual, the varieties, the health benefits.. the list goes on. I hope this post helped give you some basic information on the tea plant and what makes this beverage so unique. I'll be posting a lot more on tea, one of my favorite things!

In Health,

Erik