The finest tea is grown at over 5,000 ft above sea level. The cool
temperatures at such height can cause the tea plant to grow more slowly and produce a richer,
complex leaf (David & Schapira, 1975). However, an excess of cold can cause leaves to blacken
on the tea bush. Normally, a new tea plant must grow four or five years before the tea leaves can
be harvested. In the high hill or mountain region, it sometimes will take about 10 years for the
tea bush to reach maturity since the average temperature is cooler. The slower maturation allows
leaves to develop more character. Therefore the price of this kind of tea is higher. The tea plant
may produce for about six years after they mature. Then the old bushes need to be cut off to
force new stems to form from the roots (David & Schapira, 1975).