eli5: what makes tea, tea? like what’s different than me plucking leaves off a random tree or finding dry ones off the ground and essentially making flavoured water?

Question

eli5: what makes tea, tea? like what’s different than me plucking leaves off a random tree or finding dry ones off the ground and essentially making flavoured water?

In: 20

Answer 1

Noting is different about it. Tea is any beverage made by steeping leaves in hot water. Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea all use leaves from the same plant – but “herbal tea” covers a wide range of plants. Flowers (like Chamomile,) herbs (like mint,) even weeds (you can buy dandelion tea!)