What Is Blooming Tea Or Flowering Tea All About

There are many claims to the formation of this 'artistic tea' although hard facts ppear to be thin on the ground. This leaves many to the imagination and assumptions! There is no doubt though that artisans developed flowering tea buds or balls, and that this craft came from China; some people say the Anhui Province, others say the Fujian Province. For most of us, it really does not matter where it was invented; suffice to say that it has become a strong export for China to the whole world and as a result, we have a beautiful selection of flowering tea goods.

 Artisans, skillful workers who create items by hand, make the flowering tea buds. Loose green tea, together with loose white and black teas are combined with flowers tea and petals in unique styles to produce flowering tea. When the combination of teas is picked, the buds are hand sewn, covered with material, put in a kiln to dry out, wrapped up individually and then despatched. As the method is labour intensive, the price of these buds is subsequently relatively expensive.

 Looking at the first flowering tea is an amazingly enjoyable experience. As the bloom surfaces from a tight ball, to turn into something entirely different and quite indistinguishable from that grey lump of tea, there is a sense of wonder that something like this can be formed.

 With immersion of around three minutes, the tea bud will be transformed into a blossom. Certain buds will be more stunning than others, varying from a lump of long green leaves, to incredible blossoms with wafting tentacles such as "Touching Dragons". The names alone are enough to create much anticipation - "Jasmine Silvery Strawberry Ball", "Double Lion Pearl", "Seven Sons Congratulating".

 After the initial visual impact, it looks like somewhat of an anti-climax to drink the tea. But that is precisely what the flowering tea is designed for. Again, there are varying levels of quality of tea. Some blossoms are made from quality white tea, but nearly all are made from loose green tea. It is generally true that you get what you pay for. A cheap product is likely to be made of inferior products and may not have the desired pleasant taste - or any taste at all. Not all teas are borne equal!

 A pleasing blooming tea is certainly a trial and error procedure, and even more so when the quality of tea is taken into account. But it is not difficult to get great flowering teas these days. Most tea stockists offer pictures so you can be sure of seeing a beautiful unfolding of handmade tea buds.