Cha (茶)

Cha (茶) – tea in Chinese. Cha is the second most consumed drink in the world, surpassed only by water. What comes as a surprise to many is that all teas (i.e. White, Green, Yellow, Oolong, Black, and Pu'erh) come from the same plant – Camellia Sinensis.

Camellia Sinensis is a sub-tropical, evergreen plant native to China. However, since the early 19th century after it was brought to India, it has been grown all around the world. Depending on the season and the time when the leaves are harvested, as well as the processing technique used after the harvest, several forms of tea come to life. Therefore, "tea" is everything that is derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Anything else, while sometimes called "tea", is more accurately referred to as an herbal tea or tisane. Tisanes include chamomile, rooibos and fruit teas.