Exact origin is uncertain.
Shaded areas at an elevation of 2100 - 2700 metres in Yunnan. Prefers a woodland soil but thrives in a warm open well-drained loam if leafmould is added. It was formerly supposed that black and green tea were the produce of distinct plants, but they are both prepared from the same plant. After this they are winnowed, screened, and graded into different varieties. The tea plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs.