Tea
Green and black tea come from the same plant – the difference is in how the leaves are processed.
Tea is made from the leaves of the tea plant. It is the top shot and the following 2-3 leaves that are used. Green and black tea are made from leaves from the same plant; it is the way you treat the leaves that determines the type of tea you get.
Green tea is leaves that are dried just after picking. When making black tea, the picked tea leaves are only dried for approximately 12 hours, after which they are rolled so that the cell walls burst. This releases enzymes that cause fermentation and a darkening of the leaves.
According to a Chinese legend, tea was discovered in 2737 BC by the emperor Shen Nong who boiled water under a tea tree from which some leaves fell into the water. Tea came to Europe in the 16th century.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: Mountain Forest House
- Danish name: Te
- Latin name: Camellia sinensis
- Family: Tea family
- Natural habitat: East Asia