Botanical Description

http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/camellia-sinensis-tea

Camellia Sinesis is a shrub used for food and drink. It is favored because of its caffeine, health benefits, and long holding tradition in many different cultures. The leaves of the shrub are bright green and shiny with little hairs on the underneath. The plant can grow as tall as a sixty-five feet high tree with leathery leaves which would be its natural state. The plant in this form can be used for Indian black tea. Sinesis is usually kept under six feet by pruning. The plant’s flowers occur in clusters of two or four. The blossoms are also used for tea. The leaves are used to produce Green, White, Black, Yellow, and Oolong Tea. It is a popular thought that each tea comes from a separate plant but it is all from Camellia Sinesis. The difference is in how it is prepared and processed. Beneficial compounds possessed by the Tea are theophylline and flavonoids. Theophylline is used for treatment of upper respiratory diseases like asthma. Flavonoids have anti-oxidant properties, which are extremely valuable to health especially in assistance to prevention of heart disease, cancer, reduced inflammation, and is antimicrobial. Some studies suggest the tea can also help with tooth decay. The chemical composition may vary on how the plant is cultivated and how the leaves are processed.