Tea History & Legends

Here is a link to the actual plant, it can be grown in zones 7-9; there are many types of tea plants.

..."Pu'erh Tea

Originally produced in China's Yunnan Province and named after the ancient trading town of Pu-er, Pu'erh tea is a favorite in China. In Yunnan, Pu'erh is considered a medicinal tea, drunk with or after a meal to aid digestion. It is also believed to reduce cholesterol. Pu'erh is the only tea that is aged before processing and whose taste improves with age. Premium pu'erh teas are aged from twenty to sixty years. This mystery tea is processed under vigilant security and secrecy. Nobody outside of its manufacturers in China knows exactly what makes this tea so remarkable. In fact, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) trespassers caught on the plantation were executed."...

How's THAT for drama? Unfortunately, I cannot find any article about the Chinese tricking foreigners, else they would not travel to China if they could grow their own tea. Maybe I read it in a school textbook; I also thought that this was why we have gardenias, magnolias, & other camellias, as well as tea roses. This may be just an 'urban legend' thing, I'll keep it as only a story.