Tea has been around a long, long time. It was first discovered about 5,000 years ago by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung. Sitting under a tree while his servant boiled drinking water, A leaf from a wild tree dropped into the water and created a delicious smelling brew. Shen Nung decided to try it and finding the drink having a pleasant and relaxing flavor, he ordered extensive planting of the crop.
A member of the Camellia family, tea (Camellia Sinensis, also known as Chinese Camellia) is an evergreen, tropical plant. It has green, shiny leaves with jagged edges. Only the top two leaves and the unopened leaf bud of the tea plant are used to make good quality black tea. They contain the tender, young part of the plant with the most pronounced flavor. This is the secret of fine Tea picking.
Tea comes in black, green, oolong varieties and white teas, all produced from the leaves of Camellia sinesis, a white flowered evergreen.