Barefoot Tea

What is a tea plant?

All tea comes from the same plant – camellia sinensis. While there are many types of infusions including herbal blends, fruit infusions, rooibos, honeybush, mate’ and a combination of all of those options that are steeped like tea and have a place in the tea world, they are different from white, green, oolong and black teas that come from one this one plant. The leaves of this plant have been enjoyed by peoples in many parts of the world for thousands of years.  It does sound pretty amazing when you think about that fact.  Yes, tea is second only to WATER as the most widely consumed beverage in the WORLD!  For this blog entry, let’s look at this treasured plant as it grows.

Have you ever wondered what a tea leaf looks like before it makes it to your teapot, favorite cup or icy cold glass? 

Wonder no more….here is a series of photos to show the tea leaf prior to its plucking.* *Photos from the Charleston Tea Plantation, Charleston, SC, the only tea plantation in North America.

July 7, 2010 at 10:26 pm | Tea 101 | No comment