Green tea Green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from "Camellia sinensis" leaves that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, but its production and manufacture has spread to many other countries in Asia. Several varieties of green tea exist, which differ substantially based on the variety of "C. sinensis" used, growing conditions, horticultural methods, production processing, and time of harvest. Although there has been considerable research on the possible health effects of consuming green tea regularly, there is little evidence that
Camellia sinensis Tea plants will grow into a tree if left undisturbed, but cultivated plants are pruned to waist height for ease of plucking. Two principal varieties are used, the small-leaved Chinese variety plant ("C. sinensis sinensis") and the large-leaved Assamese plant ("C. sinensis assamica"), used mainly for black tea. The Chinese plant (sometimes called "C. sinensis" var. "sinensis") is a small-leafed bush with multiple stems that reaches a height of some 3 meters. It is native to southeast China. The first tea plant to be discovered, recorded and used to produce tea 3,000 years ago, it yields some of the most