Chinese Green Tea Map

The tea in Liu-an County was first recorded in the 7th century and became a tribute since the 18th century. Around the year of 1905, a tea master in Liu-an County worked out an improved version of a local tea 'Honeybee Wing', and named it Sunflower Seed by its appearance.

Once selected in top-tens, Sunflower Seed Tea is the only green tea in China made without leaf-stalks. The harvest starts around the mid April, two weeks later than other mountain teas. The standard picking is one shoot with three or four young leaves. There are four grades in this tea, and the grades are decided by the leaves from the stalk - the bigger the leaf tripped from the stalk, the lower the grade the tea is.

The main producing area of this tea is Qi-Yun Mountain, stretching twenty five miles in Liu-an County. Its thick bamboo forests, lingering mist, cool climate, and rich water sources ensure a mellow tea.