31 Different Types of Tea Varieties: A Complete Guide

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Plus, find out why different types of tea exist

Co-authored by Sashee Chandran and Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA

Last Updated: June 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Types of Tea
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• What is tea?
|
• Why are there different types?
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• Loose Leaf Tea vs. Tea Bags
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• Video

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While all teas come from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis plant, there are many types to choose from. Besides green, black, and herbal teas, there are several subvarieties that fall under these main categories. Are you trying to decide which teas to add to your collection? In this guide, we partner with tea experts to learn more about different types of tea. We also explain what tea is and why there are so many kinds.

What are the different kinds of tea?

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There are many tea varieties produced from the same Camellia sinensis plant. Herbals teas are the only kind not made from this plant. What differentiates the various types are things like how they’re made, their color, and their taste. Some of the most popular types of tea include black tea, green tea, white tea, matcha, and chamomile.

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Section 1 of 4:

Different Types of Tea

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   White Tea White tea is made from the leaf buds and leaves of a tea varietal called Da Bai (Big White). Like many white teas, this one is from the Fujian province in China. Buds and baby leaves are collected and dried, typically in the sun using a method called solar withering. A couple of popular white teas include White Peony (Pai Mu Tan) and Silver Needles (Yin Zhen).

   • Tea type: White

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Kelly Miller is a tea sommelier with a personal tea collection that includes over 3,000 different teas.

   Nicole Wilson is a tea expert who founded one of the longest running blogs on the internet called Tea for Me Please.

   Sashee Chandran is a tea expert and founder of Tea Drops, an innovative tea company producing quality loose-leaf teas.
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   Green Tea Green tea is made by minimally processing fresh leaves. This is done through steaming or pan-firing, which allows the tea to retain high catechin levels that serve as good antioxidants. Tea sommelier Kelly Miller says green tea offers great wellness benefits. She explains that “green teas are higher in L-theanine than any other tea type. L-theanine is very helpful in terms of focus and feelings of relaxation.”

   • Tea type: Green
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   Black Tea Black tea is oxidized (unlike green tea), which is the process of exposing the tea leaves to oxygen. This is what turns the leaves a darker color and gives the tea a robust taste. Some studies have shown that black tea may reduce heart disease and some cancers. While not conclusive, it’s believed consuming three cups daily may prevent heart attacks.

   • Tea type: Black
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   Herbal Tea Herbal tea consists of immersing herbs and spices in hot water. It’s a broad category that includes all sorts of brews, like peppermint, chamomile, and ginger. These teas are generally caffeine-free because they’re not made from the Camellia sinensis plant, which naturally contains caffeine. There are herbal varieties that can soothe sore throats, help with digestion, aid with sleep, and more.

   • Tea type: Herbal
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   Dark Tea Dark tea is a category of tea that goes through a special fermentation process. It’s separate from green and black teas and is aged using beneficial molds and yeasts. Although it’s fermented, it doesn’t taste bitter but has a more earthy and smooth flavor. It’s believed to provide various health benefits, such as relieving indigestion and constipation.

   • Tea type: Dark
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   Oolong Tea Oolong tea comes from China, and its name means “black dragon.” The name is inspired by the dark, twisted leaves of this tea. Tea expert Nicole Wilson says because it’s partially oxidized, oolong falls between green and black tea. Oxidation can range from low (15%) to nearly 100%, she says, which means these teas can be more green and floral or dark with a roasty taste.

   • Tea type: Oolong
   • Oolong is packed with antioxidants, like flavonoids and catechins. Plus, some research has shown it may help with weight loss, heart health, and lowering cancer risk.
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   Pu’er Tea Pu’er tea is ancient and has existed for centuries in China. Some of the trees that the leaves are harvested from are thousands of years old. It’s considered a dark tea because it’s aged and fermented. To be considered authentic Pu’er tea, the leaves must come from the Assamica variety of the Camellia sinensis tea plant and be produced in the Yunnan province of China.

   • Tea type: Dark
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   Chamomile Chamomile is one of the most popular kinds of herbal teas. It’s made using fresh chamomile flowers that are immersed in hot water. You can also dry the flowers and store them in airtight containers, if you want to have chamomile tea on hand year-round. This tea is an excellent bedtime drink and is believed to help with relaxation, digestion, and sleep.

   • Tea type: Herbal
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   Chai Chai is from India and the very name translates to “tea.” Technically, chai isn’t a type of tea; it’s actually a particular way of preparing and serving the tea. Families in India have their own set of herbs and spices they use to prepare their chai. While these can vary, common ingredients often used for their health properties include black pepper, cinnamon, fennel, ginger, and cloves.

   • Tea type: Black but can vary
   • While chai is typically prepared with black tea, green and herbal variations can also be served.
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    Rooibos Rooibos gets its name from the flower it comes from. The rooibos plant is found in South Africa, specifically Cederberg, and much of the tea is grown in this area. It has a dark color and earthy, slightly smokey flavors with a hint of floral notes. It’s great to enjoy with cookies and cakes.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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    Matcha Matcha is a ground powder made from a certain type of dried green tea leaf. It originated in Japan and has a slightly grassy and bitter flavor. It contains many of the same benefits of green tea but has more caffeine. Tea expert Sashee Chandran recommends drinking matcha to improve your focus. She says it has less caffeine than coffee but just enough to give you a boost without the crash.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Earl Grey Earl Grey is made with a variety of black teas. It can include varieties like Lapsang Souchong, Darjeeling, Ceylon, and oolong. However, bergamot is one ingredient that’s always found in this tea. While Earl Grey is enjoyed all over the world, it’s particularly popular in England.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Peppermint Tea Peppermint tea is made with peppermint leaves, which come from the mint plant family. The leaves give off a sweet aroma when brewed, and the minty fresh quality of this tea is unmistakable. It’s said peppermint tea may help with digestion, sinus congestion, and headaches.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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    Purple Tea Purple tea is made with a rare mutation of the Camellia sinensis plant that produces purple leaves. It has less caffeine than black and green teas and has a light and subtle fruity flavor. More research needs to be done, but certain studies have shown that purple tea could aid in weight loss and help with obesity.

    • Tea type: Purple
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    Yellow Tea Yellow tea is an extremely rare tea variety from China. It’s lightly fermented and has a mellow taste. It’s rich with antioxidants and offers anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. The way this tea is made is mainly what makes it unique. It incorporates a process called “sealed yellowing,” which boosts oxidation levels and removes the grassy aroma that’s linked to green tea.

    • Tea type: Yellow
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    Nilgiri Black Tea Nilgiri black tea comes from the Nilgiri Hills in India. It’s known to have a clean, mild, and slightly floral flavor. Its taste is not as strong as other black teas. It also doesn’t lose its flavor when the temperature cools, which makes it perfect to enjoy hot or iced.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Lapsang Souchong Lapsang Souchong offers a robust aroma and flavor profile. It comes from Fujian, China, and is known for having a bold taste that’s smokey and woody. Definitely a stronger black tea, it’s made by drying the leaves over pine wood fires, which gives the beverage its smoky characteristic.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Darjeeling Tea Darjeeling tea is one of India’s most well-known black teas. It’s grown in gardens located on the slopes of the Himalayas. The altitude is partly what contributes to the tea's distinct flavor, which has touches of fruit, muscat, and almond. Darjeeling tea is so highly regarded that it’s been referred to as “the champagne of teas.”

    • Tea type: Black
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    Sencha Tea Sencha is a well-known Japanese green tea made with traditional green tea-producing methods. The leaves are steamed and rolled to make crude (unrefined) tea. The flavor can vary depending on the season, but it generally has a mild aroma. There are also subvarieties of Sencha, like Fukamushi Sencha and Jo Sencha.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Gyokuro Tea Gyokuro is a green tea made from Gyokuro tea bushes. The bushes are covered with a cloth 20 days before picking to reduce the amount of light the new shoots are exposed to. This reduces the amount of catechins that are produced, which leads to a less bitter flavor. One unique trait of the Japanese tea is that it’s known to have an aroma that’s similar to nori seaweed.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Ceylon Tea Ceylon tea is a black tea from Sri Lanka. It has a citrusy and bright flavor profile and is quite refreshing to drink. It’s usually an amber color and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Since it has such a balanced taste, it’s frequently used in tea blends to add complexity.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Assam Tea Assam is a black tea with a robust, earthy aroma. It’s grown in northeast India where the heat and humidity help to produce thick leaves and a deep color. The richness of Assam tea makes it popular for use in breakfast tea blends. It also mixes well with milk and sugar.

    • Tea type: Black
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    English Breakfast English Breakfast tea has a bold, smooth, and rounded flavor profile. It consists of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan teas. This variety is strong, so it’s often consumed at the beginning of the day to give a revitalizing boost. It’s great with milk added and doesn’t lose its richness.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Keemun Tea Keemun is a Chinese black tea with a smooth, mildly sweet taste. It gets its balanced flavor because the leaves are gently processed. This reduces bitterness and creates a pleasant aroma. When brewed, the liquid turns a deep red. This tea is best enjoyed without milk because it has a lighter body.

    • Tea type: Black
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    Kabusecha Tea Kabusecha is a Japanese green tea that is part of the sencha tea family. Like Gyokuro tea, the Kabusecha bush is covered, except it’s only covered one week prior to picking. The result is a tea with a deep green color, rich flavor, and less bitterness.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Tencha Tea Tencha is a green tea originally from Japan. It’s primarily used as a base for making matcha. After the leaves are steamed, they’re dried and not rolled. Stalks and leaf veins are removed and the result is Tencha. When drunk by itself, this tea has a slightly sweet and vegetal taste.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Genmaicha Tea Genmaicha green tea incorporates rice. The name is Japanese for “brown rice.” The rice is soaked, steamed, roasted, and popped. Then, it’s blended with Sencha, or another tea variety, using a 50/50 ratio. The taste is distinct and has both a savory and refreshing flavor. Genmaicha also has lower level of caffeine since the amount of tea is reduced.

    • Tea type: Green
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    Ginger Tea Ginger tea is a very aromatic herbal tea. Ginger root can be spicy and sweet, which makes for a revitalizing brew. It also contains different health properties. According to Chandran, ginger tea is great for helping with digestion. It may also be good for your heart.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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    Hibiscus Tea Hibiscus tea is made from the flower plant of the same name. It’s what gives the tea its rich, jeweled color. Hibiscus flowers are completely dried, and then rehydrated in hot water to make tea. It has floral flavors, and a bit of lemon juice and sugar can be added to enhance the taste.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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    Rosehip Tea Rosehip tea tastes of roses and fruit. It’s made with rosehips, which are located at the base of the blossom of a wild rose plant. They’re tiny, seed-filled bulbs that are orange or bright red and have a sweet and sour taste on their own. They’re grounded and brewed to make rosehip tea. It’s said that drinking rosehip tea may relieve arthritis discomfort, lower blood sugar, boost heart health, and offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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    Lemongrass Tea Lemongrass tea comes from the lemongrass plant. Despite the name, the plant has nothing to do with lemons. Lemongrass produces long, slender leaves that are used for tea. It does have a zesty, tangy flavor that is similar to that of lemons. Lemongrass tea may offer pain relief and lower cholesterol. It can also be a good stress reliever.

    • Tea type: Herbal
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Section 2 of 4:

What is tea?

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1. 
   Tea is a drink that comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Chandran explains that all tea comes from this plant. She goes on to say that what differentiates the main tea types, like black tea, white tea, and oolong, is “how much the tea itself has been oxidized or heated.” She also adds, “Camellia sinensis is a caffeinated plant. It's just the oxidization levels that change the level of caffeine.”

   • The first traces of tea date back to the 3rd century in China. Merchants helped to introduce tea to other parts of the world and lead to its popularity.

Section 3 of 4:

Why are there different types of tea?

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1. 
   Tea types are created by how they’re made. For example, Wilson says that green tea and black tea differ because of how the leaves are processed. She adds, “Once the leaves are harvested, depending on what's done to them determines what type of tea it becomes.” With green tea, heat is immediately applied to the leaves after harvesting to keep them green, she explains. On the other hand, she continues, black tea is fully oxidized. Other teas, from white tea to herbal tea, each go through different processes that give them their distinct characteristics.

   • Wilson also recommends trying different kinds of teas to figure out what you like. She says getting a book on tea is a great way to educate yourself on what’s out there.
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Section 4 of 4:

Loose Leaf Tea Versus Tea Bags

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1. 
   Loose leaf tea and tea bags mainly differ in freshness. While neither is necessarily better than the other, the quality and aroma can vary between the two. According to Chandran, bagged tea isn’t as aromatic as loose leaf tea because it’s made with what’s left over from tea harvesting, which is why she prefers loose leaf. Wilson adds that since tea bags are pre-measured, you don’t have as much control over how your tea tastes. With loose leaf tea, she continues, you can adjust the amount and make it stronger or milder.

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