Thread: Is tea a herb?
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Old 05-02-2009, 11:23 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible
David Hare-Scott[_2_] David Hare-Scott[_2_] is offline
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Default Is tea a herb?

phorbin wrote:
In article ,
says...

Is tea a herb? Just that, with apologies if it's not exactly OT.
Oh, there is one more thing: is 'herb' pronounced erb?


Tea is camellia sinensis and it is an herb.


I would not think it is a herb in the botanical sense as it has woody stems
and doesn't die down seasonally, it's a herb in the cullinary/medicinal
sense.


Both pronunciations are correct.


There is no definitive answer to this one in an international forum. With
the "h" sounded is more common where I am, with it silent is likely to be
usage from a French language or dialectic background but that doesn't mean
it's wrong. In other places the silent form could be more common.

David