TEA Camellia sinensis
Tea is a drink made from the dried leaves of a domesticated small tree which once grew wild from China to India. People in China and Japan have been drinking tea for 3000 years. It became an important beverage in Europe in the 17th century. A member of the camellia family, this tea plant is in flower. (HFHA Collection)

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The smallest tea leaves on the tip of each branch are plucked to make the finest tea. Once harvested all by hand, today tea is picked with mechanical devices on larger estates. . (HFHACollection)

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The Japanese tea ceremony is a cultural event requiring special training and equipment. . (HFHA Collection)

Iraqis and most people in the Middle East are serious tea drinkers. This street scene is of Baghdad in the early part of the 20th century. . (HFHACollection)