The technical and scientific term for the tea plant is Camellia Sinensis. Anything that does not come from this plant, such as Rooibos, Mint and Chamomile, are technically not classified as Tea; they are considered a Tisane or Herbal infusions. 

The Chinese first began using tea over 4000 years ago, discovered by the same man who invented the Chinese medical system. He called it “The Glass Stomach,” because it would allow him to remove toxins from his body after consuming poisonous plants when he was testing new herbs. It was first consumed as a liquid after many years of use as medicine that was pickled and eaten, because it was found that it created clarity of mind and calmness of the body. The Chinese have created many ceremonies to honour the tea because it creates the right state of mind and body, therefore bringing someone to the right conditions for spiritual practice.

This incredible, adaptable, absorbent and beneficial plant can be found as either a shrub or a tree. In fact, one can yield drinkable tea leaves from one plant for up to 100 years, and the Chinese variant can grow up to 100ft high. It grows best in tropical, humid conditions. The character, colour and flavour of each tea is determined by the location of the plantation, climate, seasonal changes, the minerals and drainage of the soil, altitude, cultivation and plucking methods, processing as well as brewing. In other words, if you take one plant and grow it in different areas, you will get different results. Furthermore, each tea produces different grades based on leaf size at the end of processing, each of which yields different flavours.

2000 years ago it was taken from China to Japan by Zen Buddhist Monks to aid their spiritual practice. 

The western world was introduced to tea in the British expansion and development of global trade. Tea was greatly responsible for creating trade routes between Europe and Asia, along with spices. 

Tea was first cultivated in India when the British occupied India. They used the existing Camellia Sinensis plant that originates in the Assam region of India. Indians used it as traditional medicine as part of their Ayurvedic medical system before the British cultivated and sold it as tea.

In Sri Lanka, tea was brought across after all the coffee plantations died from a parasite, as a way to create new methods of income.

The British consumed Rooibos and Honeybush because tea became too expensive and difficult to bring tea across from China or Sri Lanka. It served as a rich deep drink they could mix with milk. 

Tea is cultivated and planted in long rows. The bushes are kept at a certain height according to the area in which they are grown. Tea leaves are traditionally picked in early Spring but can be picked up to the mid-summertime. Autumn is when the tea bushes are trimmed neatly and left to grow over winter where they gain new life. In Spring the first leaves pop up with new buds. These are what are used for tea. In some areas, like Sri Lanka, because of the weather, tea can be harvested all year round.

Tea is very particular to the area in which it is grown. It is very sensitive to soil, climate, altitude and the surrounding plant life. You can take two seeds from the same mother plant, plant it in two different areas, and you will get very different teas because of all the environmental influences. Processing becomes the next step to creating this different flavor. How it is made, such as the pot or equipment that is used, how long it is steeped for and when it is drunk is also crucial.

Infusion is the term for steeping tea; it means the first batch of water. Most tea can be infused up to 3 or 5 times. 

The Chinese method of preparing tea will throw away the first infusion. The Chinese believe this first amount of water is dirty and they use it to clean the pots and cups and to awaken the tea leaves. The tea leaves are not steeped for very long because the aim is to flush them. The second infusion will be used to drink. Now that the tea leaves are awakened the flavour translates clearly. Tea masters can taste different influences in different infusions. Tea absorbs its environments in layers and also releases those in layers to, the layers being the infusions. The flavour unfolds and is not solid or consistent throughout.

The Japanese believe in steeping tea very differently. They believe the first infusion reveals the hands that made the tea, the second reveals the environment in which the tea grew, and the third reveals the essence of the tea.