Tea, the second most-consumed beverage globally after water, begins its life as the evergreen plant Camellia sinensis. This single species is the source of all white, green, oolong, and black teas, cultivated across continents from Asia to South America. The agricultural process requires specific environmental conditions and intensive, long-term care. Growers primarily cultivate two varieties: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, a smaller-leafed bush adapted to cooler, high-altitude climates, and Camellia sinensis var. assamica, a larger-leafed variety that thrives in hot, tropical lowlands. Human intervention guides the plant’s natural growth to maximize both yield and flavor.
The Ideal Growing Environment
The successful cultivation of Camellia sinensis depends heavily on recreating the humid, warm, and well-drained conditions of its native habitat. Tea plants require a tropical or subtropical climate with temperatures ideally ranging between 10°C and 35°C (50°F to 95°F) for optimal growth. Consistent and high annual rainfall is another requirement, with ideal levels often falling between 1,500 and 2,300 millimeters (60 to 90 inches) a year. This moisture must be evenly distributed throughout the growing season to prevent water stress, which can significantly reduce both the yield and the quality of the tender shoots.
The soil composition is equally specific, as tea plants are acid-loving and thrive in well-drained soil with a pH range typically between 4.5 and 6.0. Highly acidic soil ensures the optimal availability of nutrients. The requirement for excellent drainage is why many tea gardens are found on the steep slopes of mountainous regions. Growing tea at higher altitudes, often between 700 and 2,400 meters above sea level, provides cooler temperatures and temperature fluctuations that slow the plant’s growth. This slower development concentrates the plant’s compounds, which contributes to the complex, nuanced flavors prized in specialty teas.
Long-Term Cultivation and Care
The life of a tea garden begins with propagation, typically using vegetative cuttings taken from a “mother bush” for commercial cultivation. Cuttings are preferred because they produce clones of the parent plant, ensuring genetic uniformity and consistency in the harvested leaves. Young plants are maintained in a nursery for 10 to 18 months before being transplanted into the field, where they take several years to reach a productive age.
Once established, the naturally tree-like Camellia sinensis must be kept as a low, manageable bush through a regimented cycle of pruning and training. This intervention, known as formative pruning or “centering,” encourages the plant to spread laterally rather than grow tall, creating a dense, flat surface. This flat surface is called the “plucking table,” and its maintenance is essential for efficient harvesting and stimulating the continuous production of young shoots. Lighter pruning techniques, such as “skiffing,” remove only the top 5 to 8 centimeters of growth to maintain the plucking table’s height and encourage new vegetative growth.
Routine fertilization supports the plant’s continuous, intensive leaf production, with nitrogen being an important nutrient for vegetative growth. Fertilizers are usually applied around the base of the bush just before the onset of the monsoon season or after pruning. Throughout its lifespan, the tea bush is forced to remain in a vegetative state, preventing it from producing flowers and seeds. This allows the farm to harvest tender leaves for decades.
Harvesting the Tea Leaves
Harvesting focuses exclusively on the newest growth, known as the “flush,” which is the tender shoot emerging from the top of the tea bush. Highest quality teas adhere to the strict standard of plucking the terminal bud and the two youngest leaves immediately below it, a method known as “two leaves and a bud.” This young growth contains the highest concentration of the chemical compounds responsible for the tea’s flavor and aroma. In tropical regions, where growth is continuous, harvesting can occur year-round at frequent intervals, sometimes as often as every 7 to 14 days.
The method of harvesting dictates the final quality and price of the tea. Manual plucking, where workers selectively pick only the tenderest shoots by hand, is the slowest but most precise method, reserved for producing premium, specialty teas. This selective approach ensures that only the two leaves and a bud are collected, excluding older, coarser leaves and stems that would introduce bitterness. In contrast, large-scale commercial operations often use mechanical harvesting, which involves machines with rotating blades that shear the leaves non-selectively across the plucking table. While vastly more efficient and cost-effective, mechanical harvesting collects a mix of tender and mature leaves, stems, and damaged foliage, resulting in a lower-grade product focused on volume. The seasonal timing of the harvest is also significant, with distinct periods of intense growth, known as “flushes,” producing leaves with unique flavor characteristics.