Tea - A History of the Leaf

It wakes, welcomes, invigorates, comforts, honors, commemorates, and heals. Tea has a well-earned reputation of respect and affection that has survived for thousands of years. Discover more about tea -- a history of the leaf.

Where does tea come from? The Latin name for the tea plant is Camellia Sinensis. Tea leaves come from this evergreen plant that thrives in warm climates such as southern India and as far north as Washington State in the United States. The tea we drink and enjoy today comes from the very top inch of the plant called the flush.

Tea's origin. The tea plant probably originated as a steeped beverage in the area where it grows natively -- Southeast Asia. No one is completely sure how or who steeped the first leaves of tea, but legend tells us that tea was discovered by a Chinese Emperor who was also the creator of Chinese herbal medicine. One summer day, as he boiled water for safe drinking, a leaf of tea accidentally landed in the pot. Upon sampling the water it was found to be delicious, refreshing, and energizing. Tea was cultivated and enjoyed from that day forward -- or so goes the story.

The tea habit spreads. The earliest record of people drinking tea comes from China in the 10th century B.C. The popularity of tea spread like wildfire, touching all corners of the earth by the 16th century. It was first called cha by the Europeans who enjoyed and shared it across the globe. Great Britain -- a country whose daily habit would be incomplete without teatime -- was introduced to tea by Catherine, wife of Charles II in the 1660s.

Tea today. Currently tea is the most popular hot beverage in the world, and every country has a tradition and favorite style of tea all its own. Chai tea in India is spicy and milky; Pakistani chai tea is warm, pink and frothy; and Tibetan tea is served with butter and salt. The British serve tea (among other times) in the early afternoon with a light snack as a welcome break in the day. Russians prefer their tea strong with lemon and sugar, and in Japan, the tea ceremony is complex and serene, and signifies respect.

Tea types. Chances are you've heard of green tea and black tea, but there are many other types. According to the Tea Association of the United States of America, the type of tea is usually determined by how the picked flushes, or tops of the plant, are treated and processed once harvested. The tinier the leaf used, the higher quality of the tea produced. Additional types of tea include white, yellow, Oolong, and fermented. Teas can also be blended, and some contain additives for variety.