Why Tea Leaves are Plucked in the Morning

January 30, 2020

We don’t yet fully understand why time of day matters when plucking tea leaves. At dawn leaves wet with dew may take longer for drought responses to set in. Differences at mid-day may arise because of the circadian rhythm of aroma volatile production. Master tea makers know these patterns and order leaves plucked at just the right time of day from just the right plants to ensure the desired panoply of flavors in the tea. [caption id="attachment_14774" align="alignright"

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Virginia Utermohlen

Dr. Virginia Utermohlen Lovelace is a physician and professor (now retired) on the faculty in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.