Tea basics
What Is True Tea?
True tea is a drink made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all begin with that plant; their differences come chiefly from growing, harvesting, and processing.
One plant, many cups
A tea garden does not grow one plant for black tea and another for green. Producers can make remarkably different teas from Camellia sinensis by changing when leaves are picked and how they are withered, rolled, heated, and dried. Cultivar and growing place matter too.
This is why a light green tea and a deep black tea can share a botanical origin while tasting almost unrelated. The word tea also has a broader everyday use, but the botanical distinction helps when you compare flavor or caffeine.
Where herbal infusions fit
Chamomile, peppermint, and hibiscus are often called herbal teas. More precisely, they are infusions made from flowers, leaves, or other plants besides Camellia sinensis. Many are naturally free of caffeine, although a blend that includes real tea leaves may not be.
If you are choosing a cup for a particular time of day, read the ingredient list first. “Green tea with mint” and “peppermint infusion” are different drinks despite similar names.