The diagram illustrates the process by which tea leaves are turned into five different types of tea, namely, white, green, oolong, large leaf black, and small leaf black tea.
Overall, the process involves five different stages, starting with leaf growth and ending with oven drying. While all teas share the same initial and final stages, white tea is an exception with a simplified process.
The process begins with leaf growth, followed by plucking and wilting, which are universal for every single tea. White tea requires no additional steps, going straight to the oven to dry. Green tea, after the withering step, undergoes three extra steps, including steaming and rolling, before drying in the oven.
The remaining types of tea, such as oolong, go through rolling, the same as large leaf black tea. However, oolong tea undergoes slight fermentation, while both large leaf black tea and small leaf black tea undergo a full fermentation process. Lastly, small leaf black tea is the only tea put through a different rolling method.