This stunning Chinese Tea Flower is a handmade creation of striking quality. When placed in a glass vessel to brew, the outer Tea leaves burst open to reveal a string of beautiful yellow chrysanthemum flowers. Seldom can one experience such majesty when brewing up a cup of Tea! This incredible Flowering Tea, also known as Treasure Tea and Blooming Tea, is as enchanting in taste as it is in appearance. It originates from the Fujian province of China (similar to most Flowering Teas), where experienced workers can make up to 400 of these Teas a day! White Tea in This Flowering Tea White Tea is the least processed type of any Tea – even over Green Tea. Contrary to popular belief, it does not come from the light liquor it produces. Instead, it stems from the silvery pekoe (hairs or dust) that grow on the unopened buds of the Tea leaf used in its making. Its processing (or, rather, lack of), coupled with its short oxidation period, results in a brew that is unmistakably delicate and very fresh. The most common White Teas are Yinzhen (Silver Needle), Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) and Shou Mei. Chrysanthemum in This Flowering Tea China is home to 17 different species of this captivating flower. Two of the most used species, Chrysanthemum indicum and Chrysanthemum morifolium, grow predominantly in the provinces of Anhui, Gansu, Henan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and Zhejiang. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has long used chrysanthemum to treat symptoms of cold and flu. According to this age-old holistic medicine practice, the flower can also disperse wind and heat; clear “liver fire”; promote vision; and offer relief from dizziness and skin sores. TCM has also recognised the flower as one of the keys to longevity! This is because of the fascinating life of Empress Dowager and Regent Cixi (1835-1908), who outlived the eight emperors who had preceded her. She enjoyed consuming chrysanthemum, too! Useful Information Type of Tea: Flowering Tea (White Tea). Origin: China. Brewing Instructions: Brew using water at a temperature of approximately 90 degrees while watching the Tea flower unfold. Some choose to brew it several times. How to Serve: This beverage tastes best as it is. Tasting Notes: Expect delicate tastes with refined floral notes. Colour in Cup: Pale Green liquor with yellow highlights, light in tone. Health Benefits of Flowering Tea Flowering Tea looks so alluring when brewing. But did you know that the White Tea found in this beverage can help you, too, to maintain your looks? A recent study by BioMed Central established that White Tea has antioxidant activity that directly affects the overall health and appearance of skin. Researchers looked specifically at the effects of White Tea on structural proteins found in the skin called elastin and collagen. They concluded: “White tea whole extract exhibits comparable anti-elastase activity to EGCG alongside very high collagenase inhibition at a very small final concentration of 25 μg which suggests additive or synergistic activity between the catechins within the tea extract particularly in the case of collagenase inhibition. Also, as collagenase is a zinc-containing metalloproteinase, the catechins within the tea extract which are known to be metal chelators may bind to the Zn2+ ion within the enzyme thus preventing it from binding with the substrate.”
