The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is a plant native to Southeast Asia. The young shoots of this plant are used to produce tea . Sinensis is Latin for Chinese. Today, tea is grown all over the world in tropical and subtropical regions. White tea, green tea, oolong , and black tea are made from this plant. The tea plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 17 m tall, but is usually pruned below two meters if grown for its leaves.