what is tea

Technically, only that which comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant is considered “tea” such as Black teas, Oolong Teas, Green Teas, White teas, and Pu-erh. There are also others that are commonly referred to as “tea” but are not, such as Yerba Mate, Rooibos, and Herbals. 

Camellia Sinensis is an evergreen plant that mainly grows in tropical climates. Some varieties can tolerate marine climates and be cultivated as far north as Washington state in the US. It takes 4 to 12 years for a tea plant to bear seed and about 3 years before a new plant is ready to harvest. Tea plants require 50 inches of rainfall a year. Traditional Chinese tea studies believe that higher grade tea plants are cultivated in higher elevations of up to 4,900 feet which makes tea grow more slowly and acquire richer flavor. Only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plants are picked. These buds and leaves are called flushes. A plant will grow a new flush every seven to fifteen days during the growing season. Every region has different flush periods but the term “first flush” and “second flush” are very common.

Example Flushes:
First Flush: Spring Harvest produces delicate, fresh tea
Second Flush: Summer Harvest produces stronger sometimes mid-grade tea
Third Flush: Late Summer Harvest or known as Monsoon Harvest in India
Fourth Flush: Fall Harvest produces mostly low quality tea
Fifth Flush: Winter Harvest which is very uncommon

What makes teas different?
Varietal (different Camellia Sinensis plants)
Weather (best in tropical weather)
Region (China is known to be largest producer of tea)
Processing (is it withered, rolled, fermented, or fired?)
Soil (grows best in acidic soil)
Elevation (the higher the elevation, the thinner the body of the tea)