With the variety of teas available to us (and if you are relatively new to tea) it can be confusing to know exactly how each type is made and if all tea comes from the same plant. I initially began drinking herbal teas, then green tea, and then branched out from there. Everyone’s tea journey is different, and understanding the range and nuances of tea options can be daunting at first. This article answers many of the initial questions I had when I decided I wanted to incorporate tea into my life, specifically “where does tea come from?” among other basic tea plant questions.
All true teas come from a single variety of plant named Camellia sinensis. There are 6 true teas that come from this variety of plant: black, white, green, oolong, pu’erh, and the rare yellow tea. All other teas are infusions from herbs, flowers, and bark, and are technically called “tisanes.”
This article is dedicated to a brief history of the discovery and classification of Camellia sinensis as a tea plant, as well as an overview of the plant itself and some of the tea it is used to produce.
As an in-depth overview, I hope this gives you a helpful understanding and appreciation of the plant (or small tree) and its role in the worldwide love of tea.
You may also want to read Is All Tea Really from the Same Plant in China? which covers all other countries and regions that produce the tea plant, as well as how tea is processed.
In addition, you might be interested in Is Tea Fermented or Oxidized? And What’s the Difference?
All true teas come from a single variety of plant named Camellia sinensis. There are 6 true teas that come from this variety of plant: black, white, green, oolong, pu’erh, and the rare yellow tea. All other teas are infusions from herbs, flowers, and bark, and are technically called “tisanes.”
TEA CROSSING
What is Camellia Sinensis?
Camellia sinensis is a plant species. The leaves of this plant are used to make almost every type of traditional, true caffeinated tea worldwide.
Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree. The “small” tree can actually grow to be quite large, as you will read about later in this article.
Two varieties of the plant exist, each bearing specific characteristics that distinguish them from one another. Both varieties are evergreen, flowering shrubs.
The Chinese variety is named Camellia sinensis sinensis, has a smaller leaf and is fairly tolerant of cold weather. The Indian variety is named Camellia sinensis assamica, and is native to the Assam region of India.
What Does Camellia Mean?
Camellia is defined as “any of a genus of shrubs or trees of the tea family.” Further definitions include a description of an ornamental greenhouse shrub with roselike flowers and glossy leaves. The word is of Latin origin.
What Does Sinensis Mean?
Sinensis is a Latin name that means China or Chinese and it refers to a place where the Sinensis shrub is cultivated then discovered by explorers from Europe.
A Brief History of Camellia Sinensis, the Tea Plant
The history of tea dates to 2737 B.C.E when Chinese emperor Nong Shen had a pot of boiling water in his garden. A Camellia Sinensis tree grew above the pot. Leaves fell into the pot and infused into the hot water.
The legend suggests that the event happened by chance, and the emperor discovered that the leaves imparted a unique flavor to the water.
He further researched the properties of the leaves and their usefulness in a brewed hot drink. In addition, the medicinal properties of tea were discovered as more people began drinking the infusion, and as the drink spread to other countries.
The Popularity of Tea Began to Spread
Whether the legend of Chinese emperor Nong Shen’s discovery of tea is a completely true accounting or a myth cannot be determined but factual history records at least suggest that tea was used in ancient China for medicinal purposes.
Here are some additional facts and timeline regarding the development of tea:
- Before it was used as a drink the leaves were chewed to obtain refreshment and a lift during the time of the Chinese Han Dynasty.
- The Chinese started brewing tea leaves between 722 -221 B.C., adding other herbal ingredients. Tea was mixed with food as a part of the regular diet before brewing it as a beverage.
- Brewed tea was enjoyed by nobles, lords, and officials in its early history.
- Drinking tea became a Chinese tradition between 420 and 589 B.C.
- Demands for tea increased and cultivation methods began to evolve around 589 B.C.
- Lu Yu Cha Jing wrote a book about rea cultivation during the Tang Dynasty. Multiple trees were planted for domestic cultivation.
- Tea was introduced to Japanese monks between 618 and 907 B.C.
- New varieties of tea were developed between 607 and 1279 B.C.
- Tea crafting methods were developed between 1271 and 1386 B.C. with machine-made tea emerging.
- Tea was introduced to Japan and became widely trade between Asian countries between 1386-1644. Tea leaves were roasted and made into cakes, then produced as loose leaves for making drinks.
- Tea became a staple in the 1600s with several species cultivated and blended. It became a popular export and spread throughout the world including Europe, Turkey, Arabia, and India. Black tea was developed to make it more suitable for export.
- By the 17th-century tea cultivation evolved into a worldwide industry with high demand for the drink.
What are the Benefits of the Tea Plant, Camellia Sinensis?
Scientific studies have been conducted on the benefits of Camellia sinensis and research confirms that the plant offers several health benefits.
Benefits include both physical and psychological support. In addition, because tea has become a much-loved part of many cultures, it also serves to connect people socially, both in deeply meaningful rituals as well as casual get-togethers.
The Physical Health Benefits of Tea
The potential health benefit of tea have long been touted as real and substantiated. All true teas from the Camellia sinensis plant offer similar benefits, with variations stemming primarily from how they are processed and whether they are primarily oxidized or fermented.
As I mentioned above, the 6 true teas that come from this variety of plant: black, white, green, oolong, pu’erh, and the rare yellow tea. They each have relatively similar health benefits, so we’ll focus on the two more popular true teas: black and green.
Black tea is rich with antioxidants and compounds that can benefit your heart.
Here are several potential benefits substantiated by research:
- Offers an abundance of antioxidants
- Boosts heart health
- Helps to reduce blood pressure
- Lowers blood sugar levels
- Lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol levels
- Improves gut health
- Helps to reduce stroke risk
- Helps to reduce cancer risk
Green tea is another type of true tea that is processed from Camellia sinensis.
Green tea has been valued by the people of China for thousands of years as a preventative elixir for many health conditions. It was and is used to treat various ailments. The chemical composition of green tea is complex and the compounds include powerful antioxidants, polyphenols, alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, and more.
Green tea, for example, is believed to:
- Boost the immune system
- Promote healthy weight loss/weight management
- Prevent cancer
- Reduce inflammation of the liver
- Prevent bacterial and viral infections
- Improve cardiovascular health
- Lift and improve mood
In addition, matcha tea is a powdered form of Japanese green tea that offers very significant health benefits.
You may be interested in reading Is Matcha Tea Green Tea? 8 Differences That Matter and Why Is Matcha Tea so Expensive? 10 Reasons it’s Worth the Cost.
The Psychological and Cognitive Benefits of Tea
Tea is a beverage that is enjoyed by people from all cultures around the world. It is used in religious and other ceremonies as a preparation to achieve an altered state.
The stimulant effect from caffeine has been proven to elevate mood, sharpen focus, and aid in concentration in moderate dosages.
Whether from cultural anticipation of the effects of tea or a combination of expectations and the compounds within the beverage, tea is regarded as a drink that is used to prepare for something special.
In some cases, it’s consumed to stimulate alertness and for some, it is used for relaxation.
Tea seems to have an almost mystical quality and this has been the case for centuries.
The Benefits of Tea are Heavily Researched
A simple search for the benefits of tea brings up long lists of scientific investigations into the benefits of tea.
Researchers conduct studies to assess the effects of tea in participants with various health problems and in those who are healthy.
These are some of the research findings you might be interested in:
- The Health Benefits of Tea
- Tea and Health: Studies in Humans
- Molecular Evidences of Health Benefits of Drinking Black Tea,
- Tea And Human Health: Biomedical Functions of Tea Active Components and Current Issues
- The Benefits and Risks of Consuming Brewed Tea
- Tea Polyphenols in Promotion of Human Health
Work has been done to break the very compounds and elements of tea into their tiniest forms to attempt to understand the chemical compounds and their processes correlated with their effects on the human body.
Our fascination with tea has led us to know as much as we can about its medicinal value and to determine if there are benefits that we have not yet discovered.
While some results of the research have been inconclusive, others point towards confirmation of the benefits through testing results and anecdotal information.
Do Tea Plants Have Flowers? Are They Edible?
The tea plant does have flowers. It’s not a prolific bloomer, however. The Camellia sinensis only flowers one time per year during the fall. The blooms cover the plants just before seed production and winter hibernation. You won’t see flowers on the plant until the same time the following year.
Are Tea Plant Flowers Edible?
The flowers from Camellia sinensis are edible. In fact, they are commonly used to brew a delicious beverage that is slightly sweet and smooth in texture. The tea flowers develop a full and rich taste that intensifies when they are allowed to age.
The practice of harvesting tea flowers has been done in the Jing Mai Mountain region for centuries.
The blossoms of the tea plant consist of delicate round petals that are white with a yellow center that resembles a pincushion filled with hundreds of spikes. The flowers grow in clusters of two to four in the axils of the leaf and they reach up to 4 centimeters around. The flowers can have between five to nine petals. Each blossom has both male and female organs and they depend upon bees for pollination.
Are Other Parts of the Tea Plant Edible?
The entire Camellia sinensis plant is a never-ending source of health and sustenance options.
In addition to the flowers, other parts of the tea plant are edible:
- Outside of being harvested and processed for tea, the leaves may be used in cooking or chewed raw. In ancient times locals chewed on tea leaves for the refreshing lift they felt from the stimulant properties. Currently, tea leaves are used in a variety of food dishes to enhance the flavor and to increase the nutritional value. The nutritional content found in tea leaves is higher when they are eaten versus brewed and consumed in liquid form.
- The seeds of tea plants produce a clear golden yellow colored oil that is edible once it has been refined.
Can a Tea Plant Grow Anywhere?
The answer to this question is yes, but only under certain conditions.
Tea plants have special growing requirements. Although you may grow a tea plant in most climates, the quality of the leaves will be affected. Tea is much like wine in that the growing atmosphere determines the quality and flavor of the final product.
Tea plants require acidic soil with heavy rainfall throughout the year to thrive. Scientific research into tea cultivation has discovered that the best tea comes from regions that meet these criteria in addition to tea grown in regions that are between sea level and 1.3 miles above.
There are 30 countries throughout the world where tea plants are grown commercially.
The World’s Top Tea-Producing Countries
These four countries make up the largest tea producers with large tea plantations and the highest gross tonnage of tea produced annually. Tea leaves are pruned and picked by hand. The freshly harvested tea is taken to the factories attached to the plantations immediately for processing.
The largest tea producing countries are:
| Country | Details |
|---|---|
| China | China produces more than 2 million tons of tea for domestic consumption and export annually. The country is the number one tea producer in the world today. |
| India | India is the second-largest tea producing nation. The gross production of tea is estimated at 1.2 million tons per year. |
| Kenya | Kenya produces 432,400 tons of tea annually. This makes it the third-largest producer in the tea industry. |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka grows and processes 340,240 tons of tea each year. It is the fourth largest tea producer in the world. |
Can You Grow the Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant at Home?
This can depend on where you live. Experts on tea cultivation believe that you can grow tea plants in most areas.
Camellia sinensis can be grown in gardens from zone 8 and warmer.
If you live in a cooler climate you can still grow tea plants if you place them in a container that can be moved indoors to protect them from cold weather.
Just be forewarned that it takes a full three years before the leaves can be harvested to make tea. You’ll need to make sure that the containers are late enough because Camellia sinensis are shrubs.
Other recommendations for growing tea plants in climates colder than zone 8 include growing them in a greenhouse or in your home to maintain a consistent temperature day and night.
You may be interested in reading my article How to Grow Camellia Sinensis Indoors? A Step-By-Step Guide for a detailed guide to growing your own tea plant in your home.
Are Tea Plants Perennial?
Plants that last for more than two years of complete growing cycles are termed perennials. Camellia sinensis fall under this category and is considered to be a perennial. Since a tea plant can live between 30 to 50 years, or in some cases longer, they exceed the minimum requirements.
These plants thrive in warmer climates and can grow quite large under the right growing conditions. Tea plants go through a period of flowering, producing seeds, and hibernation during the winter months, but they continue to grow for several years.
Are Tea Plants Evergreen?
A plant is classified in the evergreen category when the foliage meets two requirements: it must remain green throughout the year and it must remain functional throughout more than one growing season. Although Camellia sinensis does go through a hibernation period during the winter months, the leaves remain green. The plant continues to function all year long and Camellia sinensis considered to be an evergreen shrub.
The distinction between evergreens and deciduous plants is the shedding of foliage during the winter season or a dry season. Tea plants do not lose their leaves, even though growth is more prolific during the summer months.
Is Camellia Sinensis a Hardy Plant?
Camellia sinensis is considered to be a hardy plant, but with limitations.
The definition of hardiness correlates with plants that can be grown and thrive in Zones 7-9.
To maintain hardiness, tea plants have special requirements. They must be grown in areas that provide shade from the early morning sun as well as the heat of direct afternoon sunlight. the soil must be organically rich, acidic, and it must be well-drained with a consistent amount of moisture.
Winter Hardiness of Tea Plants
Tea plants can be grown in climates that experience freezing temperatures if they are grown in pots and moved indoors when temperatures drop.
Most tea plants are sold in pots, but they should be transferred to larger containers as the roots begin to grow and spread out.
Tea plants can survive in mild winter weather if they are protected from temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit. It is worth noting that although they can live in protected areas outdoors, these plants are not exceptionally winter-hardy.
Ideally, you should move tea plants to locations that do not drop below 45 degrees F.
Experimentation to Improve the Hardiness of Tea Plants
Horticulturists have experimented with hybridization of the Camellia sinensis plant to develop a fast-growing tea tree that is hardier for colder climates.
The result of the experimentation is a plant that is called the Cold Hardy Tea Plant. The Cold Hardy Tea Plant can be safely grown in zones that are below zone 7 when grown in containers indoors. The Cold Hardy Tea Plant still falls under the Camellia sinensis classification.
How Long Does a Tea Plant Live?
Research indicates that the average tea plant can live between 30 to 50 years. There are ancient tea trees in China that are claimed by locals to be thousands of years old. The oldest living tea trees in China are tourist attractions that draw curious tea enthusiasts to see for themselves. The five ancient Pu-erh Tea trees are growing in Yunnan in the southwest region of China.
These certainly are not average tea trees. The reason why these trees have lived so long is because of the climate and the elevation. The topography of the area called the Golden Triangle affects climate and weather conditions ranging from tropical monsoon conditions to dry mountain air. The formula appears to be a magical zone for the health of tea trees, according to experts on the subject.
How Fast Do Tea Plants Grow?
Tea plants are not the fastest-growing shrubs. They grow approximately one foot in height per year. It takes a tea plant three years to reach maturity. At this stage, the shrub will be a little over three feet tall.
After years of cultivation and domestication, tea plants have changed from their natural wild state. Genomicists have discovered that there are three different genomes of tea plants that influence the size of the plants and their characteristics.
The results of their research provide evidence that man’s intervention has had a profound effect on the structure of the plants at a genetic level.
Human Intervention in Tea Plants
Man first discovered tea plants growing in the wild. These early farmers transitioned the wild plants into cultivated crops. Whether intentionally or not, farmers propagated the plants that produced the most satisfactory leaves. This form of selective propagation resulted in a type of artificial selection that promoted the growth of the most desirable characteristics.
Experts believe that the cultivated tea plants now grown throughout the earth represent an alteration from the plants that grew in the wild thousands of years ago. We can draw a parallel with the interest shown in the cultivation of tea and our fascination with the plant to the early writings of ancients who endeavored to study the plants and to share the knowledge gained hundreds of years ago.
How Tall or Big Does a Tea Plant Get?
Camellia Sinensis plants reach an average height of up to 6 feet. When properly cultivated, the shrub-like plants are cut back to a more manageable height of 3 to 4 feet. Some hybridized plants can grow between 10 and 15 feet tall with the same width if not pruned back.
The legendary ancient tea trees discovered in China have grown to even greater heights. It is believed that the unique geographical location has affected the climate to enhance the growth of these giants among tea plants.
The World’s Tallest Tea Plants (And How Old They Are)
Out of interest in the tea plant itself, and the unique history it boasts, you might enjoy knowing how large and old some of the most ancient tea plants are.
The three below are actually tea trees that have grown for thousands of years.
| Tree Name | Details |
|---|---|
| The Bangwei Tea Tree King | Claimed to be 1,700 years old has grown to a height of 38.71 feet tall. The trunk of the tree is also large measuring 3.74 feet in diameter. The tree is famous among horticulturists and scientific researchers who seek to understand more about its longevity and incredible size. |
| The Jinxiu Tea Tree | China’s Jinxiu tea tree has reached an incredible height of nearly 35 feet in height and over 6 feet in width. This tree is a giant among tree plants. At the age of 3,200 years, it is easy to understand how the plant has grown so large. |
| The Qianjiazhai No. 1 Tea Tree | This wild growing ancient tree that has lived to be more than 2,700 years old has reached a height of nearly 84 feet. This makes it one of the oldest and the tallest tea plants in the world. The tree is listed in the Guinness World Records book for 2001. It was just discovered in the early 1990s and it makes us wonder if there are any larger ancient trees in existence. |
Why are the Giant Tea Plants in China so Much Larger than Plantation-Grown Plants in Other Areas?
This is a question that has piqued the interest of researchers around the world. Teams have used scientific methods to date the ancient trees to prove the validity of the claim of their age, but they have yet to determine why these trees have survived for thousands of years when the average life span of a tea plant is a mere 3 to 5 decades.
China’s Oldest Living Tea Trees
The Camellia sinensis plant can develop into either a shrub or a small tree. Most of the photos you see are of the evergreen shrub, but it’s also interesting to know that the small tree is also considered a variety of the tea plant.
Here are some of the most ancient tea trees in the world.
| Tree Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Banwei Tea Tree King | This ancient tea tree is a transitional plant found growing wild and cultivated later in its lifespan. The tree is 1,700 years old. The ancient tea tree was hidden from outsiders with leaves of the tree, harvested by the locals since the days of antiquity. The tree is famous among horticulturists and scientific researchers who seek to understand more about its longevity. |
| Yuxi Yunanjiang Wild Tea Tree | These ancient tea trees are twins. They are also each estimated to be 1,700 years old. The trees are uncultivated. They are growing in Yuanjiang County. The larger of the two trees measure more than 40 feet in height and nearly 4 feet in diameter. The second twin is slightly smaller in size. |
| Jinxiu Tea Tree | The Jinxiu Tea Tree is the oldest known tea tree still growing in China. The age is estimated to be 3,200 years. The tree grows in Xiangzhujing, Fenqing county, located in Lincang city. It’s growing in a remote area. This relic is an ancient tree that is in the cultivated class. The Jinxiu Tea Tree is protected from harm because it is an old tree and a living fossil. |
| Mengku Snow Mountain No. 1 Tea Tree | This tea tree is wild that is uncultivated. It grows near Lincang City in western Yunnan. The tree is 2,700 years old. It has been around since ancient times. The tree is an example of how little we know about the capability of plant life until we begin an exploration of the deep mysteries of nature as it pertains to the growth of these particular tea trees. |
| Qianjiazhai No. 1 Tea Tree | The Qianjiazhai No. 1 tea tree is growing at Qianjia Village on Ailao Mountain. This tea tree is a wild tea tree that somebody discovered in 1991. The age of the tree is over 2,700 years old. Remarkably, it has survived in the wild without the help of modern farming techniques. |
Scientific Research Confirms Ancient Age of China’s Tea Plants
It’s difficult to believe that the tea plants in China could survive for thousands of years. It’s more plausible to believe that these are just legends passed down for generations.
The large size of the trees makes the claims more credible, but when typical tree plants have a lifespan of no more than 50 years, the situation called for an investigation to confirm or disprove the stories about the trees.
The photo below is of the Jinxiu Tea Tree (mentioned above) and is the oldest known tea tree still growing in China. The tree’s age is estimated to be 3,200 years and is currently protected. Photo is courtesy of Yunnan Exploration.
A scientific investigation into the age of the trees confirmed that the five ancient trees discovered in various regions of China are ancient as described by the locals.
While the standard method of assessing the age of old trees was by counting the number of growth rings by taking a sample of the core, this is not the method employed by the team. They confirmed the age of the trees through scientific methods. To be more specific, through Radio Carbon Dating technology.
The process included extracting core samples from the trees and extracting carbon from the tree fiber samples. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry processes measured the 14C levels in the cores showing the growth rate and the approximate age of the trees.
This discovery was exciting information for all stakeholders in the tea industry, including growers to consumers.
In addition to having a strong historical, cultural, spiritual, and health legacy worldwide, Camellia sinensis is also a very ancient species of plant that we have all grown to love.