As the story goes, tea plant was first stumbled upon by accident in 2737 B.C.E. The emperor at the time was boiling water in his garden when a leaf from the overhanging camellia sinensis tree drifted into his pot. The combination yielded a drink that compelled him to research the tree further, uncovering both medicinal and palatable properties.
Two varieties of the tea plant make up some of the most popular types of tea. Camellia sinensis sinensis  (Chinese tea) is native to China and thrives in cool temperatures and high elevations. It is commonly grown on mountain slopes, producing a sweeter, gentler taste indicative to both green tea and white tea. 
Camellia sinensis assamica (Assam tea or Indian tea), on the other hand, thrives in the Assam region of Northern India. More tropical than its Chinese variety, growing larger and producing bigger leaves mainly due to a climate with plenty of rain and warm temperatures. It's used for robust teas like black tea, oolong, and pu-erh