The tea tree grows in regions where the climate is hot and humid with rain falling regularly throughout the year. It grows between 42° latitude in the Northern Hemisphere and 31° latitude in the Southern Hemisphere.

• In Asia: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaisia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam ;
• In Africa: Cameroon, Mauritius, Kenya, Rwanda and Zimbabwe ;
• In South America: Argentina and Brazil ;
• Around the Caspian and Black Seas: Georgia, Iran and Turkey.

The top average temperature is between 18°C and 20°C and should have little daily variations.

The climate has an affect both in the volume and the quality of the harvest. A climate too humid will give a lower quality, while a dry season can often bring higher quality harvests. High altitude also improves quality with a smaller yield. In tropical regions, the tea plant can be cultivated at altitudes ranging from sea level up to 2,500m.

Sunlight is important: it is necessary for the formation of the essential oils that give the brew its aroma. The light should preferably be scattered: this is why large trees are regularly planted on tea plantations, they regulate the soil ecology and filter the strong sunrays.

The soil should be permeable, loose and deep since the tea plant's roots can push down to a depth of up to 6m. Soil cover should be at least 1.5m deep. The best areas have a young, volcanic soil which is very permeable and rich in humus, neither basal nor too clayey. Tea is always grown on sloping ground, allowing for natural drainage, since the tea plants, unlike rice plants, cannot survive in stagnant water. This drawback is also a trump card: the tea plant is very resilient, it can be grown on extreme gradients and is perfectly suited to the most steeply-sloping, mountainous terrain.

Go further with The Tea School.