5 Teas From the Same Plant as Green Tea

Every "true" tea, including green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark (fermented) tea, comes from the same plant: Camellia sinensis. The differences between them come entirely from how the leaves are processed after picking, not from different plants.

Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub native to China, cultivated for thousands of years and now grown across Asia, Africa and South America. Here's how the five other true teas relate to green tea, and what makes each one distinct.

Green Tea

Green tea leaves are withered, quickly heat-fixed (by pan-firing or steaming) and dried, which stops oxidation almost entirely. That's what keeps the leaves' green color and grassy, vegetal flavor. Dragon Well is one of the best-known Chinese green teas, and when green tea leaves are ground into a fine powder, the result is matcha.

Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is made much like green tea, but after the leaves are fixed, they're wrapped and left in a warm, humid environment for a short "sealed yellowing" step. This gentle oxidation mellows the grassy edge of green tea and gives the leaves a yellowish tint. Because the process is slow and largely done by hand, yellow tea is rarer and pricier than green tea. Huoshan Huangya and Junshan Yinzhen are two well-known varieties; you can learn more in our guide to yellow tea.

White Tea

White tea is made from young buds and leaves covered in fine silvery hairs, which is where the name comes from. It's the least processed true tea: the leaves simply wither and dry with almost no rolling or oxidation, giving white tea its light body and delicate, slightly sweet flavor. Silver Needle and Bai Mudan are the most popular Chinese varieties. Our guide to white tea covers its flavor and possible benefits in more depth.

Black Tea

Black tea leaves are withered, rolled and then fully oxidized before drying, which turns them dark brown to black and produces a bolder, more robust flavor than green or white tea. Well-known styles include Darjeeling and the Assam-based blends used in English Breakfast tea. Because oxidation, not the plant, determines the caffeine content, black tea generally has more caffeine per cup than green or white tea; our black tea vs. green tea guide breaks down the differences.

Oolong Tea

Oolong sits between green and black tea on the oxidation scale. Its name means "black dragon" in Chinese, and it's made through a labor-intensive process of alternating rolling, oxidizing and resting, sometimes over several days. Depending on how long it oxidizes, oolong can taste anywhere from light and floral to dark and toasty. Da Hong Pao and Tie Guan Yin are two celebrated Chinese oolongs.

Dark (Fermented) Tea

Unlike the others, dark teas undergo a true fermentation step, where beneficial bacteria continue to transform the leaves after they're dried and rolled. The best-known dark tea is Pu-erh, grown specifically in China's Yunnan province; teas from elsewhere can be dark and aged but aren't technically Pu-erh. Fermentation can last from a few days (for cheaper, "ripe" Pu-erh) to many years (for prized "raw" Pu-erh), with the flavor deepening the longer it ages.

FAQ

Is Camellia sinensis tea caffeine-free?

No. All true teas from Camellia sinensis contain caffeine, though the amount varies by tea type, leaf grade and brewing time rather than by oxidation level alone. Herbal infusions like chamomile or rooibos, on the other hand, come from other plants and are naturally caffeine-free.

What's the best time to drink green tea?

Many people prefer drinking green tea around meals, since it may support the absorption of some nutrients. If you're sensitive to caffeine, avoid it too close to bedtime.

Which true tea has the least caffeine?

White tea generally has the least caffeine of the six types, though a high-quality white tea made from young, caffeine-rich buds can sometimes rival green tea.

The Bottom Line

Green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark tea all start as the same leaf from the same plant. What sets them apart is entirely in the processing, from how much they oxidize to whether they ferment, which is why exploring beyond your usual cup can turn up flavors you wouldn't expect from a single plant.