[Sca-cooks] Fenugreek

[Terry Decker]

First, it takes 4 to 12 years for a tea plant to grow seed, but only 3 to 
harvest the leaves.  Second, seeding is an annual event and has an extremely 
limited quantity in relation to the number of people who drink tea.  Third, 
only the fresh leaves and buds from the outer 2 inches are used to produce 
tea.  These replenish themselves every 7 to 15 days during the growing 
season.  So, lots more leaves than seeds.

There may also be a qualitative difference between the seeds and the leaves, 
but I don't have any information on that possibility.

Bear

-----Original Message----- 

Why is “tea” brewed from tea leaves and not tea seeds? Is it just that tea 
leaves are easier to get and more available?

Stefan