Tea Bush vs Tea Tree
Definition
Tea plants grow in two main forms: cultivated bushes (kept pruned to waist height for easy harvesting, typical of most tea gardens worldwide) and semi-wild or wild trees (allowed to grow tall, sometimes reaching 10–30 meters, found primarily in Yunnan and parts of Southeast Asia). Tree-form tea plants are often older and produce leaves with different chemical profiles.
Why it matters
The bush vs. tree distinction matters most in the pu-erh world, where 'old tree' (gushu) tea commands massive premiums. Older, larger trees have deeper root systems that access more minerals and produce more complex flavors - though the marketing hype sometimes exceeds the actual quality difference.