What is Tea

The tea plant offers limitless variety in the final flavor of the tea we drink. Factors such as the plant variety, size, age, part of the leaf selected, region of origin, and method of processing make up the unique qualities that each cup of tea provides.

The Tea Plant

All true tea consists of the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant, an evergreen shrub that has bright green, shiny leaves often with a hairy underside. Any leaves that come from different plants are herbal teas or tisane. Two variations of the plant exist: Camellia sinensis and Camellia assamica. Sinensis produces small leaves and does best in the cool, high mountains in China and Japan. Camellia Assamica has broad, dark green, shiny leaves with white blossoms and grows better in tropical climates of the Szechuan and Yunnan provinces of China and in Northeast India.

The plant can grow up to 17 meters but it usually remains trimmed at about 2 meters. Camellia flowers bloom independently or in clusters of two to four and produce aromatic scents. The fruits on the Camellia Sinensis plant are brownish-green and have one to four flat seeds. All in all there are over 2,000 different varieties of tea plants each with its own unique flavor.

These varieties of tea plants become one of the four major types of teas (white, green, oolong, and black), each determined by when they are picked and how much the tea leaves have oxidized. White is picked the earliest and therefore oxidized the least, whereas black is the most oxidized and the strongest.

It is no secret that tea drinkers, and lately scientists, claim many health benefits of drinking tea. The tea leaves contain an antioxidant called catechin which is highest in white and green teas. Tea leaves also contains fluoride and theanine which are known to relieve stress and improve relaxation. For some, a downside is that tea also contains caffeine; however, the levels of caffeine in a cup of tea are much less than in a cup of coffee.

Tea Plant Growth and Cultivation

Tea plants grow best in mineral-rich soil in the mountains 3,000-7,000 feet above sea level. They are grown on the sides of mountains and typically in areas that average over 50” of rainfall a year or in areas of high elevation so the growth is slower making the flavor stronger.

Most tea plants have a dormant period in the winter but during the growth season they are pruned and plucked to encourage new shoots, called flushes. These flushes emerge every 7-21 days and are picked by hand on average three to four times during any given season. The first flush of the season is the highest quality. A tea plant must be at least five years old before tea leaves can be removed. Tea plants can remain in a productive cycle for more than fifty years.

Loose leaf teas are the best tasting and come from a single estate. Machines are often used to cultivate the tea leaves in an effort to increase production but the best and most expensive tea comes from the plucking done by hand. High quality tea comes from the 1st set of leaves on the tea plant and the bud, whereas mass-produced teabags are made from the older, worn leaves lower on the stem.

Tea Processing

Even though there are thousands of tea varieties, four separate distinctions are based on the processing method used on the teas: white, green, oolong, and black.

Organic White Tea is produced mainly in China and is made from leaf buds covered in white hairs. These new buds are picked in early spring before they bloom and are then dried at low temperatures for a long time. They are only slightly oxidized and are not rolled like the other tea processing methods. This processing creates a tea with a mild, natural sweetness, and slight grassy undertones often linked with green tea.

Organic Green Tea comes mostly from China and Japan. The processing method involves picking fresh leaves which are then spread upon bamboo trays and left in sunlight or warm air. The leaves are then heated to preserve freshness and prevent further oxidation. Then they are rolled into shapes and dried. The rolling releases natural oils and flavors when they are brewed.

Organic Oolong Tea is produced mostly in southeast China and Taiwan. Oolong teas require the most time consuming and difficult processing. The tea leaves for oolong teas must be picked at the peak time and immediately processed. First, the leaves are placed in direct sunlight to wither and then the leaves are shaken to bruise the edges just slightly. After this stage, the leaves are placed in the shade to air-dry until the leaf turns somewhat yellow. The whole process of shaking and drying is then repeated several times. Oolong teas come in different variations which require different levels of oxidation. After the leaves reach the required level of oxidation they are placed in high firing temperatures to prevent any further oxidation. Because of this process the oolong teas have less moisture and therefore a longer shelf life than green teas.

Organic Black Tea processing involves spreading the leaves out on racks of bamboo until they are wilted enough to be rolled without tearing the leaves. Then, the leaf is rolled to release essential oils which will create the color and flavor. The rolled leaves are spread out in cool and humid rooms and exposed to oxygen for several hours which causes chemical changes in the leaves and turns them from green to coppery red. Finally, the completely oxidized leaves are heated in woks or ovens to halt oxidation. It is this longer oxidation process that marks the difference between green and black tea.