Definition:
A cultivar (from “cultivated variety”) in tea is a named, propagated variety of Camellia sinensis that has been selected, bred, and vegetatively propagated (usually by cuttings rather than seed) for specific desirable characteristics — including flavour profile, catechin or theanine ratio, yield, seasonal timing, pest resistance, or adaptability to a specific climate — with each cultivar producing a genetically distinct leaf that yields tea with different flavour characteristics, biochemical composition, and behaviour under processing even when grown at the same location and processed by the same method. The cultivar is one of three primary determinants of tea character alongside terroir and processing method.
In-Depth Explanation
Cultivar vs. variety: In formal botanical terminology, variety refers to a naturally occurring sub-species distinction; cultivar refers to a cultivated, named, and propagated selection — the distinction relevant to tea breeding programs. In common tea usage, both terms appear interchangeably.
Camellia sinensis species and sub-varieties:
| Botanical name | Common name | Character | Primary regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| C. sinensis var. sinensis | Small-leaf/China type | Delicate; used for green, white, oolong, black | China, Japan, Taiwan, most of the world |
| C. sinensis var. assamica | Large-leaf/Assam type | Bold; higher caffeine; better for black tea; CTC | India, Sri Lanka, Yunnan, Kenya |
| C. sinensis var. cambodiensis | Small-leaf Cambodia type | Rare; little commercial significance |
Named cultivar examples:
Japanese cultivars:
- Yabukita (やぶきた): ~75% of Japanese national plantings; balanced; well-adapted to steaming; the reference standard for sencha; medium theanine
- Okumidori (おくみどり): High theanine; good for shade applications; shade-grown character
- Sayamakaori (狭山香): Strong aroma cultivar from Saitama; distinctive character
- Asatsuyu (朝露): Called “natural gyokuro” for high theanine without shading; rare but remarkable quality
Taiwanese cultivars:
- Qingxin Oolong (青心烏龍): The dominant Taiwanese oolong cultivar; fragrant; sensitive; used for Ali Shan, Dong Ding, and Oriental Beauty
- Chin-Shin Dah Pah (青心大冇): Alternative oolong variety
Chinese cultivars:
- Fuding Dabai (福鼎大白): Primary cultivar for Fujian white tea (Baihao Yinzhen, Bai Mudan)
- Tieguanyin (铁观音): Both the cultivar and the style name; distinct from other oolong cultivars
Indian:
- AV2 clone: Dominant Assam CTC cultivar
- Clonal Selection 1–6 (CS1-CS6): Darjeeling research station clonal selections for specific estate use
Vegetative propagation vs. seed: Most commercial tea cultivars are propagated by cuttings to ensure genetic uniformity. Seed-propagated tea (seeded or jikimaki) produces natural variation between plants — some traditional Japanese and most Yunnan old-tree gardens use seed propagation. The variation in seed-propagated gardens is one argument for the complexity of gushu pu-erh.
Cultivar and flavour: The same cultivar can produce radically different tea depending on terroir and processing; conversely, different cultivars under the same conditions produce distinctly different leaf composition. The yabukita cultivar is specifically adapted to Japanese steaming and produces characteristic vegetal-umami notes; a qingxin cultivar under the same steaming would produce a somewhat different profile. Understanding cultivar helps explain why “made in Japan” does not guarantee the same character — a Kenyan-planted yabukita in a tropical climate still tastes different from a Japanese yabukita.
Research
Tea cultivar genetics:
Taniguchi, F., et al. (2014). “Genome-wide analysis of genetic diversity and population structure of tea.” Genomics, 103(5–6), 342–349. Full examination of Camellia sinensis genetic diversity and breeding relationships.
Cultivar effect on catechin/theanine profile:
Sakata, K., et al. (2019). “Multi-cultivar comparison of polyphenol and amino acid composition in Japanese tea regions.” Journal of Agricultural Science, 157(2), 124–133.