Camellia sinensis

Tea

Tea belongs to the genus Camellia and family Camelliaceae. Tea plant is an economically important plantation crop extensively cultivated in the hills of North-eastern and Southern states. Tea is native of China. Tea bush is sub-tropical and tropical plant grows well in hot and humid climate. The ideal temperature for growth is 20-300 C. It requires well distributed rainfall from 150 to 300cm throughout the year. Tea plantation is shade loving plant and grows vigorously under the shade trees.

The original species, which produces tea, were C. assamica (Assam jats), C. sinensis (China jats) and their natural hybrid, C. assamica subspecies lasiocalyx (Indo China or cambod type).

Tea is a dried leaf of a bush and contains theine. Tea beverage produced in freshly boiled water having leaves and leaf buds of the tea plant.