India holds the title of the world's leading tea producer. Supposedly, a leaf from a nearby tree fell into his cup of hot water, and the herbal infusion was thus born. Due to the Emperor's fine taste, the Chinese quickly took to the cultivation of the evergreen bush. Not too long after, the Japanese found their climate conducive to the hardy plant. Not until the 17th century, however, did the Europeans get their first taste of the refreshing elixir but had little luck with the plant's cultivation.
Tea plants prefer tropical climates with rich, deep soils.
India and Sri Lanka export most of the world's tea, but many African countries such as Kenya and Rwanda have extensive tea industries. Tea has come a long way since Emperor Shen Nung and the cultivation of tea leaves is big business. The majority of tea is of the black variety where the tea leaf has been fully oxidized and fermented. Popular black teas include Orange Pekoe and Darjeeling. Darjeeling teas can also be further categorized into summer and spring varieties, depending on how soon young tea leaves are picked.