The tea plant (above) and harvesting tea in Sri Lanka (below). Photos by R. Faidutti and G. Bizzarri ( FAO MEDIABASE)

Tea, Camellia sinensis is an evergreen tropical plant that originated in China and Indonesia. The Arabs were believed to have brought tea to Europe around 1559, but the Dutch and the Portugese also take credit for its arrival in Europe. England, a country which is commonly associated with tea because of its high rates of consumption, surprisingly did not enter into tea production until the mid-to-late 17th century through the East India Company (better known as the John Company).

Tea is a tropical plant that has green shiny pointed leaves (as seen in the photograph), which grows as a bush. In its wild state, it grows up to 30 metres tall. When it grew wild, monkeys were actually trained to pluck the leaves and throw them down to a collector below! As a crop, it is grown only to a height of about 1 metre. The plant prefers light, acidic, well-drained soil. It is a fairly adaptational plant, and can be grown from sea level to up to 2100 m in altitude. It prefers humid, warm climates that have an average of about 50 inches of rainfall per year. Variations in climate, soil and altitude can all affect the characteristics and flavour of the tea.

The plant is grown in nursery beds, from cuttings or clones, until it is ready to be transplanted. It is grown as a plantation crop. The young bushes are planted about 1.5 metres apart. The "plucking plateau" is the top, flat area of the plant, from which the leaves are plucked. Its dimensions are approximately 1x1.5 metres in area. The plateau is "plucked" every 7-14 days, but only about 2 leaves and 1 sprig are taken from each plateau! The tea bush itself takes 3-5 years to reach maturity.

The main producers of tea include India, Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia and Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Famous teas associated with particular countries include: Ooolong and Green (China), Darjeeling (India), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Tea flavour and characteristics are determined by the area in which it is grown, but can also be affected by processing, and blending of different teas from different areas. Different kinds of tea are also made by the addition of fruits, oils, herbs or spices. There are about 1500 different teas available on the market.

Tea has more recently been linked to positive health benefits. Research is currently being conducted on its potential health benefits for cardiovascular disease and some cancers. It is believed that tea promotes good oral hygiene, because of its fluoride content. Tea also contributes to health by being a source of antioxidants, which help protect and repair the body from free radicals in the environment.

Although tea is commonly associated with the British, it appears that it is a world-wide popular drink. The U.K. Tea Council says that it is confident of "tea's continued domination of the total drink market." A comprehensive source of information regarding tea is available at www.tea.co.uk. So whether it's black, green, or fruit-flavoured, take a break, sit down, and enjoy a nice hot cup o' tea! It is a practice carried out by millions of people across the world! They must be onto something!

Contributed by Alyson Stone.