Clearly, it is extremely misleading to say “Every tea comes from the same plant the camellia sinensis, and depending on how one processes the leaves will determine if it will be green, oolong, black or white tea.” This overly simplified definition of tea is the biggest myth in the Western tea industry.

It takes more than processing methods to determine the different types of tea. Some tea varietals are destined to become green and some destined to be white regardless of the processing method used.

Two principal varieties are used, the small-leaved China plant (C. sinensis sinensis) which all sub varieties of Chinese teas are based and the large-leaved Assam plant (C. sinensis assamica ) which all Indian, Sri Lanka and Assam black teas are based.

White, green, oolong and black teas are actually varietals of teas. The different processing methods together with the specific varietals will determine its final style of tea—being black, oolong, green and white.