The 4 Types of Tea Explained: How One Plant Becomes White, Green, Oolong & Black Tea
What if I told you that White, Green, Oolong, and Black tea all come from the same plant?
Yes it’s true. Whether you're sipping one of our delicate Silver Tips or our robust Planters Breakfast,all true teas trace their roots back to one remarkable plant Camellia Sinensis.
But how does one plant produce so many distinct flavours, colours, and styles?
We answer that very question in our latest video, filmed from inside our PMD Tea Tasting Room, where we are bringing tea education to life. You’ll see with your own eyes how two leaves and a bud can take dramatically different paths from freshly plucked leaf to your favourite cup.
Watch the video here and see the transformation unfold.
All true tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Technically speaking “teas” like Peppermint, Rooibos & Lemon Grass & Ginger are not teas but herbal infusions. For something to be truly called tea it must be harvested from the two main varieties:
- Camellia Sinensis Sinensis – The Chinese variety with its smaller leaves is better at growing at higher altitudes in colder climates.
- Camellia Sinensis Assamica – The Indian variety with its larger leaves does better in hotter, more humid climates and when used to produce Black tea gives heartier, gutty cups.
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While terroir (the environment in which tea is grown) and cultivar play a role in flavour, what really differentiates tea types is the process of how the leaves are handled after being plucked.
The Four Main Types of Tea
- White Tea: The least processed of all. For Silver Tips we are just picking the bud and it is withered and dried. Giving the cup a light, floral, and subtle in flavour.
- Green Tea: Leaves are quickly heated (steamed or pan-fired) to prevent oxidation, preserving the green colour and fresh, grassy taste.
- Oolong Tea: Semi-oxidised, somewhere between green and black tea. The level of oxidation can vary widely, creating a vast range of flavours from floral to fruity to roasted.
- Black Tea: Fully oxidised leaves that turn dark brown or black. This process creates bold, rich, and malty flavours.
To truly appreciate this, you have to see it in action. In our video, we walk you through the four different cups and show you how these change.
Click here to watch the video now and discover how two leaves and a bud can become White, Green, Oolong or Black tea.
