The Tea Page
The tea plant (Thea sinensis), from which the young and tender leaves are plucked and utilized in making commercial tea, is an evergreen growing in its natural state to a height of 15 to 30 feet. Under cultivation, however, it is restricted by pruning and plucking to a bushlike plant 2 to 5 feet tall. Its lanceolate to oblong lanceolate, rather dull evergreen, serrated leaves vary in length from 1.5 to 10 inches and in width from 0.5 to 4 inches. Mature leaves are rather thick, smooth, and leathery, and are borne on a short petiole and arranged alternately on the stem. The fragrant flowers, which occur singly or in groups of two or three, are located in the axils of the leaves. They consist of five white petals surrounding a showy group of yellow stamens. The fruit consists of one to three hard-shelled, dark brown nuts resembling hazelnuts.