Chinese tea green, oolong, black and post-fermented. Others add categories for scented and compressed teas. All of these come from varieties of the "Camellia sinensis" plant. Most Chinese teas are cultivated and consumed in China, however are also exported internationally due to a rise in the popularity of Chinese cuisine worldwide. It is commonly available in Chinese Restaurants and grocery shops worldwide. Green tea is the most popular type of tea consumed in China. Within these main categories of tea are vast varieties of individual beverages. Some researchers have counted more than 700 of these beverages. Others put the number at more
Tea a year and prefer acidic soils. Many high-quality tea plants are cultivated at elevations of up to above sea level. Though at these heights the plants grow more slowly, they acquire a better flavour. Two principal varieties are used: "Camellia sinensis" var. "sinensis," which is used for most Chinese, Formosan and Japanese teas, and "C. sinensis" var. "assamica," used in Pu-erh and most Indian teas (but not Darjeeling). Within these botanical varieties, many strains and modern clonal varieties are known. Leaf size is the chief criterion for the classification of tea plants, with three primary classifications being, Assam type, characterised