All teas* basically come from the same plant, the Camellia Sinensis, a tropic relative of the Camellia Japonica that might even grow in your garden. The differences among the over two thousand types of tea are results of the variations in the manufacturing process and the level of fermentation (correctly understood as oxidization) of tea leaves after they are harvested.

*Herbal teas do not come from Camellia Sinensis. They are infusions of the leaves, roots, bark, seeds, fruit, or flowers of other plants.