Tea Gardens
Introducing the Camellia sinensis plant, or as it is commonly and officially called, tea. It is important to realize that what some call "herbal teas" are not truly teas but are infusions or tisanes of herbs that are quite different from Camellia sinsensis or tea. All varieties of actual tea (for example, green or black tea) originate from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, and what determines the different types of tea is by what happens to the leaf after it is picked.
Although, this is definitely not to say, for instance, that all black teas must be the same since there is only one tea plant. The quality of the cup starts in the gardens where the tea is growing. The region's soil, climate, and culture have a profound effect on the flavor profile of the tea produced. Teas from some regions are considered highly prized like the mystique surrounding, for example, wine from the Champagne region in France.
The Camellia sinensis plant is actually a tree that can grow to the height of 10-15 feet if it is not pruned or plucked although a cultivated tea plant usually looks like a bush. Camellia Sinensis is a very longed lived tree with some being known to have lived 1,700+ years. It is common for tea plants to be viable for plucking for over one hundred years. Camellia sinensis is native to China and it was in China where the art/science of tea drinking was embraced and nurtured for the last 4,000 years.
Japan developed their green tea drinking ceremonies only just one thousand years ago and it wasn't until the 17th century that the tea culture spread to Europe and a native Camellia Sinensis tree was discovered in India to spur the growth of the tea industry in India and the western world. Today, India is the largest producer of tea with nearly the entire rest of the world also cultivating tea.
Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world next to water with its popularity still growing.