With all this talk about matcha, not enough attention is being paid to the matcha plant or the plant used to make matcha.
In this article, we are going to explain what plant does matcha come from, what the matcha plant is and how it is grown.
Let’s get growing 🌱
Watch the Video on the Matcha Plant
What is the matcha plant?
So what plant does matcha come from? Because matcha is a type of green tea, it comes from the tea plant, camelia sinensis. All true teas essentially come from this matcha green tea plant. If an infusion comes from another plant like blue matcha, it cannot technically be considered a tea.
How does the matcha plant grow
The matcha plant or camelia sinensis plant is an evergreen flowering shrub native to Southeast Asia. The native growing region of the matcha plant is in what is now Northern Myanmar and China’s Southern Yunnan province.
The matcha plant has since been transplanted all around the globe, but in general it prefers the climate of its birthplace, with mountainous topography, mild subtropical climates and seasonal rainfall. Japan is now considered the place where the best matcha plants are grown.
Cultivating the matcha plant
What makes the matcha plant special compared to other types of tea plants is that the plants used to make matcha need to be shaded for 3 weeks before the harvest.
This actually alters the chemical composition of the matcha green tea plant leaves, giving them a smoother and sweeter taste with less bitterness.
If you've never tried matcha and are curious to know how it tastes, we strongly advise you to read our article 👉 What does matcha taste like? Taste Chart with Video
How the matcha plant is harvested
After the 3 weeks are up, it’s time to harvest the matcha plant. It’s very important to select the right leaves for matcha, as different leaves produce different flavors.
So is matcha a plant? No, matcha is a specialty green tea produced from the shaded leaves of the tea plant. If you want to learn how matcha differs from other types of Japanese green tea, you can read this article 👉 10 Difference between Matcha and Green Tea
How long does it take to grow a matcha plant?
It takes about 4 years for a matcha plant to reach maturity, meaning in 4 years it is mature enough to be harvested. It will take another few years of harvesting before the matcha plant begins to take on the characteristic rows that Japanese green tea fields are famous for.
If you want to skip all the steps of growing a matcha plant and go right to the delicious matcha tea, you can browse our selection of pesticide free ceremonial matcha, all produced from a strong matcha green tea plant!
