Overview of Tea Growing and History of Development

Tea (Camellia Sinensis) is an evergreen plant of the Camellia family. Tea grows best in hot and humid conditions with temperatures ranging from 50-85 F, rainfall of 80-90 inches a year, and elevations from 1,000-7,000 feet. A combination of altitude and humidity promotes the desired slow growth, and the higher elevation teas are generally more prized.

Many of the world’s most famous teas - high grown Ceylons, China’s Wuyi’s, India’s Darjeeling’s, Taiwan’s Tung Ting - come from bushes cultivated above 4,000 feet. Tea bushes can be harvested after three to five years. In some parts of the world, the plants go on growing throughout the year, while in others there is a dormant winter period. The leaves are plucked as the new shoots - or “flush” are beginning to grow. In hotter conditions, the plants have several flushes. Leaves from the early flushes are widely sought after, but it is the second flushes that are considered to give the finest teas Our Japanese green teas are from this second flush. For the best quality tea, pickers remove two leaves and a bud from each new shoot.

The most exclusive teas come from just five countries - Ceylon (Sri Lanka), China, Formosa (Taiwan), India and Japan.

India is the world’s largest tea producer. However, another twenty-three tea growing countries also offer good quality specialty teas.

Indonesia, for instance, produces the Java Taloon. Sikkim, a small Indian protectorate in the Himalayas, produces Temi rivaling the best Darjeeling. Nepal, with its Everest plantations, also produces fine tea.

Georgia, Turkey and Iran in the Near East, Brazil and Argentina in South America, and Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda produce average teas destined for tea bags.