What Is Green Tea?

Summary: You would think that the definition would be self-explanatory - it's tea that's green. But that doesn't really cover it. All true teas - as distinct from herbal and flower infusions, which tea lovers call tisanes - are made from the leaves of a magnolia-related evergreen tree with the botanical name of Camellia sinensis. Although reaching a height of 30 feet in the wild, on tea plantations, the plant is kept as a shrub, constantly pruned to a height of about 3 feet to enco...

You would think that the definition would be self-explanatory - it's tea that's green. But that doesn't really cover it. All true teas - as distinct from herbal and flower infusions, which tea lovers call tisanes - are made from the leaves of a magnolia-related evergreen tree with the botanical name of Camellia sinensis. Although reaching a height of 30 feet in the wild, on tea plantations, the plant is kept as a shrub, constantly pruned to a height of about 3 feet to encourage new growth and for convenient picking. Tea plants grow only in warm climates but can flourish at altitudes ranging from sea level to 7,000 feet. The best teas, however, are produced by plants grown at higher altitudes where the leaves mature more slowly and yield a richer flavor. Depending upon the altitude, a new tea plant may take from 2