Camellia sinensis

plants · tea · evergreen

The tea plant. Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree that grows for decades, and it's the only plant species that makes all the tea humans drink, whether it's green, black, white, or oolong tea.

Leaves and buds. People harvest the leaves, leaf buds, and young stems from this plant to brew tea. The newer, more tender leaves make the finest and most delicate teas.

One plant, endless varieties. Even though all tea comes from the same species, different processing methods and growing regions create totally different flavors and colors, from grassy green teas to dark, rich black teas.

Loves cool mountains. Camellia sinensis grows best in cool, misty highlands with lots of rain, which is why some of the world's most famous teas come from mountainous regions in China, Japan, and India.

Tough and lasting. Tea plants are incredibly hardy and can live for a very long time, some for over 100 years, making them reliable crops that keep producing leaves year after year.