Everything You Need to Know about Tea Plant

If, like me, you find yourself passionately diving into anything and everything related to Japanese tea, our beloved beverage, you're in for a treat today. As a lover of Japanese green tea, one of my favorite tea-related topics to read up on whenever I get the chance is how tea plants are grown and farmed in different parts of the world. For example, right now, it is winter while I write this, and since the weather is cold and plants all look withered outside, it might seem like the tea farmers are sitting around the fireplace or Kotatsu (Japanese low table with electric heating) with their cup of Sencha. But that's not true at all! Even though it is indeed slightly less busy than the other seasons, the winter months on a tea farm see some important work being carried out by the farmers, which ensures healthy growth and high-quality tea leaves, such as these, to flourish in the other months of the year. 

One of these important steps that is carried out during the autumn, throughout the winter, and early spring is trimming. You might have heard of words related to the cutting of tea leaves and plants, such as pruning, trimming, skiffing, cutting, shearing, etc. Do they all mean the same thing? How are they different, and why are they so important for the production of the best-quality tea? Let's find out! 

Cutting tea plants or Tea plant cuttings?

A cup of tea can be enjoyed by anyone; however, learning about the tea world can be quite challenging at first. But don't worry; that's why we are here to simplify things and to bust any confusing tea jargon. One such confusing word in the tea-farming world is 'cutting.' Most times, when you see the word 'cutting,' it refers to a 'cutting' taken from a tea plant rather than the act of cutting a tea plant. 

Now, let's answer the question: What is a 'cutting'? 

While many of us are familiar with growing plants from seeds, there's another fascinating method to propagate new plants: through cuttings. Instead of relying on seeds, this technique involves snipping a portion, such as a branch, a leaf, etc., from a mature plant. This "cutting" is then nurtured in a specific environment, coaxing it to develop new roots and/or stems, ultimately giving rise to an entirely new and independent plant. This method is also used with Japanese tea plants. 

“Sashiki-hou” - Propagating Japanese tea plants using cuttings 

Tea plants can either be grown from seeds or from cuttings; however, due to better genetic consistency and ease, these days, 'cuttings' are the most commonly used method to propagate tea plants. In Japanese, this method is called ‘Sashiki-hou’ ( 挿し木法 ). Propagating tea plants using tea plant cuttings helps to maintain consistency in the plants’ genetics and quality. 

Firstly, the branches used for cuttings are left to mature without removing the new shoots. The cuttings are made around June, when the new shoots are halfway lignified, with 2-3 leaves attached to the stem. There are two main times in the year when these cuttings are made on Japanese tea farms: 

• Summer Cuttings: Done around June 
• Autumn Cuttings: Done around September to October 

The prepared cuttings are inserted into well-draining, organic-matter-free soil. The seedbed is shaded for a while, and care is taken not to let the water run out.

These cuttings hang out in seed beds for about 1 to 2 years, and then they're moved to the tea farm in a process called Teishoku (定植).

And then, there’s the part that requires a lot of patience—it takes around 4 to 5 years for these young plants to be ready for their first harvest. And if we're talking about reaching full leaf-producing potential, that takes a bit longer—around 7 to 10 years!

Tea Plants from Seeds vs. Tea Plants from cuttings 

You might be wondering: Why opt for cuttings when propagating tea plants? In the Japanese tea scene, most of the tea we enjoy is derived from carefully chosen cultivars. These cultivars, selected for specific qualities like yield, flavor, and resistance, are maintained through cuttings. When tea plants are propagated from cuttings, they preserve 100% of the genetic information from their mother plant, essentially becoming genetic clones. On the other hand, using seeds introduces a 50-50 chance, with half the genetic makeup sourced from another tea plant's pollen. This method carries a higher risk of losing desirable qualities. In Japan, the preference for cuttings ensures consistency and quality in tea production.

Now that we've covered the basics of 'tea cuttings,' let's shift our focus to the actual practice of 'cutting' a tea plant. Japanese tea farms employ various cutting techniques, whether manual or machine-based, and these methods, timings, and purposes all vary. It's a nuanced topic we're delving into. So, as we gear up for a deep dive into the intricacies of tea plant cutting, take a moment to relax with a cup of your preferred green tea! (Mine happens to be this sustainably grown green tea from Shizuoka.)

Pruning, Trimming, Shearing, Skiffing, etc.—different ways in which the tea plants are cut 

First of all, it is important to keep in mind that these terms are not narrowly defined and can overlap and include each other. The definitions of these terms also vary from region to region (Want to learn about tea-growing regions in Japan? Head onto this page. ) and can also be different depending on the type of tea, tea farming method, etc. 

Trimming 

Trimming is a fundamental horticultural practice in Japanese tea farming that involves the selective removal and shaping of the outer foliage of tea plants. This process includes cutting back the overgrown top row of the tea bush and defining the outward appearance of the plant, contributing to both its aesthetics and functionality.

Purpose and Timing:

• It is a regular practice and is especially crucial in winter.
• Ensures an even tea row surface and uniform bud growth. (especially the top row)
• Commonly performed after the final autumn harvest or before the end of the cold season. 

Functional Goals:

• It fixes the crown and renews growth.
• Lowers the crown height for easier harvesting.
• Disrupts "apical dominance," promoting the growth of side branches and leaves.

Holistic Impact:

• Balances the tea plant's above-ground and below-ground parts.
• Enhances nutrient exchange between the root system and the aerial portion.
• It boosts nutrient storage in the roots by breaking the relative balance.
• Reduces overall nutrition demand, relieving the load on the root system.

Additional Benefits:

• Limits pest damage by allowing more light and air into the plant with a less dense crown.
• Eliminates old and diseased branches and leaves, contributing to overall plant health.

Pruning

Tea pruning is the act of cutting and shaping the tea plant so that new shoots can grow, making it simpler to harvest in the future. Pruning involves trimming branches to reduce the number of new shoots, aiming for larger and higher-quality buds that emerge after the pruning. This practice is typically carried out after the first and second flushes. Additionally, controlling the height of tea plants makes it more convenient for tea farmers to tend to and manage them efficiently.

Types of Pruning

There are several different types of pruning. We do have to keep in mind that these can vary from farm to farm and from region to region. 

When is pruning done? 

It differs from region to region, but as a rule of thumb, see below: 

• Routine Pruning: Between every harvest season 
• Deep Pruning: Every 3–4 years or so 

Fukagari: Pruning in Japanese Tea farm

In Japanese, deeper pruning is called Fukagari, and it involves cutting the tea plant to just around 30 cm off the ground.

Skiffing 

In the preceding section, we explored the diverse types of pruning, among which skiffing stands out as a distinct and delicate approach. Representing one of the lightest forms of pruning, skiffing involves leveling off the foliage, selectively removing only green stems. This process entails the removal of approximately 5–8 cm of new growth to ensure a consistent and uniform plucking surface.

The objectives of skiffing are to have an early, high-quality crop and a total crop as well. Skiffing helps in removing the knotted and congested stems, thickening the branches, and improving the general health of the bushes. It is also resorted to the bushes when there is a necessity of postponing the pruning operation.

Tea from Trimming and Pruning? - Is it Possible? 

Pruning primarily serves maintenance purposes rather than tea production. Nevertheless, certain leaves trimmed during the pruning process can be repurposed to create tea. Here are a few examples:

• Karibancha Production:

Trimmings from prunings following the harvest of high-grade sencha during Ichibancha can be utilized to craft premium-grade hojicha, known as "karibancha." These prunings are specifically conducted in preparation for the Nibancha harvest.

• Kyobancha Creation:

Kyoto produces a distinct tea called Kyobancha, crafted from leaves pruned during Harubancha in anticipation of the spring harvest.

• Sustainable Use:

Beyond tea production, a common practice involves returning the trimmings from prunings back to the earth. In certain instances, the production of tea from these trimmings might be deemed impractical due to their lower quality, fetching a correspondingly modest price.

Conclusion  

The scenery of the tea fields can vary significantly from season to season. The tea plants undergo a transformation of colors, and even when the fields and surroundings are blanketed in snow, we learned today that the tea farmers are in action, diligently working to create the most delicious Japanese green tea possible. Additionally, we hope that these insights into the cutting methods in tea fields provided you with an understanding that tea fields require routine care, much like humans need 'haircuts' and grooming from time to time to feel their best. Let's continue learning more about tea plants while savoring great tea!

FAQs about Tea Plants

What's a tea plant "cutting," and how is it used to grow new tea plants? How long does it take for a new tea plant to actually produce harvestable leaves? Are all Japanese tea plants the same species, or are there different varieties? What's the difference between pruning, trimming, skiffing, and cutting a tea plant? How long does a tea plant actually live?

What's a tea plant "cutting," and how is it used to grow new tea plants?

Honestly, this confused me at first because the word "cutting" can mean two completely different things in the tea world. The act of cutting a tea plant (pruning) is one thing. A "cutting" as a noun is something else entirely — it's a small branch or shoot that's been snipped off a mature tea plant and then planted to grow a brand-new plant. Same DNA as the parent. No seeds involved.

In Japan this method is called sashiki-hou (挿し木法). It's how most Japanese tea plants are propagated these days because it gives much more consistent quality than growing from seed. A seed-grown plant is genetically a coin flip — you don't know exactly what cultivar character you'll get. A cutting is basically a clone, so you know the new plant will taste the way the parent did.

Cuttings get taken twice a year on most farms — around June (summer cuttings) and again around September to October (autumn cuttings). They sit in seedbeds for one to two years before being moved into the actual tea field, which is called teishoku (定植). The whole process takes patience.

How long does it take for a new tea plant to actually produce harvestable leaves?

This is one of those things where the timeline surprises people. From the day a cutting is planted, you're looking at roughly four to five years before the plant produces leaves good enough to harvest commercially. The first year or two is in the seedbed. Then it gets moved to the tea field (teishoku). Then it spends another two or three years just establishing roots and a strong frame before it's allowed to produce leaves you'd actually want to drink.

Even after that, the really high-quality leaves don't come until the plant is around 10 years old. So when you drink an exceptional matcha or sencha, you're often drinking from a plant older than your relationship with whoever is drinking it with you.

Tea is one of the slower agricultural crops out there. Farmers really do plant for the next generation.

Are all Japanese tea plants the same species, or are there different varieties?

They're all the same species — Camellia sinensis — but there are over a hundred registered cultivars (varieties) within that species in Japan, and the differences between them are huge. Yabukita (やぶきた) is the most widely grown, accounting for around 70% of Japanese tea production. After that you've got Sayamakaori, Okumidori, Asatsuyu, Saemidori (さえみどり), Asahi (朝日), and a long list of more specialized cultivars used for specific styles like matcha (抹茶) or gyokuro (玉露).

Each cultivar has its own flavor profile. Yabukita tends to be balanced and slightly grassy. Saemidori leans sweeter and is often used for high-grade sencha (煎茶). Asahi is one of the matcha-specific cultivars favored by Uji (宇治) farmers. Choosing a cultivar is a bit like choosing a grape variety in winemaking — same plant species at the genus level, totally different cup at the end.

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What's the difference between pruning, trimming, skiffing, and cutting a tea plant?

These all sound like the same thing, but they each refer to a slightly different intensity of cut. Trimming and skiffing are the lighter ones — surface-level cuts that shape the canopy of the tea plant and remove the very top layer of new growth. They're done to keep the plant compact and encourage new leaf production at the harvest layer.

Pruning is heavier. It cuts back into older wood and reshapes the plant more aggressively, often done in autumn or winter when the plant is dormant. This is where the plant essentially gets reset — older branches removed, structure rebuilt, ready to push out fresh growth in spring.

"Cutting" is the catch-all that can mean any of the above. It can also refer to taking a cutting (the propagation piece I described earlier). Confusing, but context usually clarifies.

How long does a tea plant actually live?

Surprisingly long. A well-tended tea plant can produce harvestable leaves for 40 to 80 years, sometimes more. There are tea trees in Yunnan, China that are reportedly over a thousand years old and still producing leaves, though those are a different sub-variety (Camellia sinensis assamica) than the bushes you see on Japanese hillsides.

In Japan, tea farms typically replace plants somewhere around the 30 to 50 year mark, not because the plants die, but because younger plants tend to produce a higher concentration of the flavor compounds that go into premium tea. The older plants are still useful — they're often kept around for less premium grades or transitioned to organic production where their established root systems make them more resilient.

A lot of the most respected Japanese tea farms are still working with plant lineages that go back generations through the same family. The cutting (sashiki-hou) method I mentioned earlier is part of why — they're literally clones of plants their grandparents tended.

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