What is the difference between white, green, oolong, and black teas?
All tea comes from either the Camellia sinensis or the Camellia assamica plant. The method of processing the two plucked green leaves and bud of the tea plant yields four basic teas – white, green, oolong, and black. After picking, the fresh tea leaves begin to oxidize. The manufacturing process, amount of manufacture time, and length of oxidation will determine the tea family assignment. For example, in temperate Sri Lanka, the leaves become black tea in as little as 24 hours. • White tea – begins with young buds or two young leaves and a bud that undergo a long wither before being naturally lightly-oxidized and dried, usually in the sun or in a warm drying room • Green tea – has little oxidization as the leaves are steamed or wok fired, rolled or pressed, and dried soon after picking • Oolong tea – falls somewhere between green and black teas because the leaves are only partially oxidized, rolled, and usually wok dried • Black tea – is made by bruising tea leaves by hand, or machine,
