Large Tea Trees (Tree age 500-1000 years)
Large tea trees are generally the oldest or the largest tea king trees in the garden. Tea farmers in the Yunnan Diannan tea area refer to cultivated ancient tea trees over 5m tall, which are difficult to pick, as large tea trees. Usually, large tea trees have a breast diameter of 30-50cm, a breast circumference of 100-160cm, a tree height of about 5-15m, and a tree age mostly between 500-1000 years. Sun-dried green tea made from the tender buds of large tea trees is called large tree tea. When brewed correctly using the Pu-erh tea brewing method, the tea soup is warm and smooth. The older the tree age and the better the ecological environment, the more coordinated the taste, the higher the content of water-soluble pectin and resin, and the warmer and smoother the taste.
Primordial Ecological Ancient Tea Trees (Tree age 300-500 years)
As the surface plants have not been removed, the tea garden ecology is good. Despite the great tree age, the tea trees show no signs of aging. Most primordial ecological ancient tea trees have a breast diameter of 10-35cm, a breast circumference of 35-110cm, a tree height of 3-6m, and a tree age mostly around three to four hundred years. The sun-dried green tea made from them has thick buds and leaves, with most leaf veins between 9-16 pairs, rich in pectin, sweet and smooth taste, slightly bitter and astringent. The bitter and astringent feeling stays in the mouth for a very short time, about a few seconds.
Ecological Ancient Tea Trees (Tree age 100-200 years)
Due to the removal of a large number of surface plants and frequent picking, many ecological ancient tea trees show signs of aging. Most ecological ancient tea trees have a breast diameter of 10-25cm, a breast circumference of 35-80cm, a tree height of 2.5-4.5m, and a tree age mostly around one to two hundred years. The sun-dried green tea made from them has thick buds and leaves, with most leaf veins between 9~16 pairs, rich in pectin, sweet and smooth taste, weak bitterness and astringency. The bitterness and astringency stay in the mouth for a short time, about ten seconds, making it difficult to distinguish from slightly older primordial ecological ancient tree tea.
Old Tea Trees (Tree age 60-100 years)
Planted during the Republic of China era (1912-1949), most tea trees have a breast diameter of 5-15cm, a breast circumference of 15-50cm, a tree height of 1.5-3m, and a tree age of 60-100 years. The sun-dried green tea made from them has relatively thick buds and leaves, with most leaf veins between 9~16 pairs, rich in pectin, sweet and smooth taste, somewhat bitter and astringent. The bitterness and astringency do not stay in the mouth for long, about tens of seconds, making it somewhat difficult to distinguish from ancient tree tea.
Small Tea Trees (Tree age 35-60 years)
The efficacy and effects of Pu-erh tea are noticeably insufficient. Mostly planted between 1949-1976, the tree age is between 35-60 years. Most plants are 80-120cm tall, with about 1500-2000 plants per mu. The sun-dried green tea made from them has not very thick buds and leaves. The bitterness and astringency stay in the mouth for a long time. The taste coordination is better than terrace tea but worse than ancient tree tea.
Terrace Tea Trees (Tree age 0-35 years)
After 1976, clonal asexual tea trees were planted in dense rows. Most plants are 60-90cm tall, with about 2000-3000 plants per mu. The efficacy, effects, and price of Pu-erh tea made from them are the lowest among the teas of the aforementioned tree ages. Due to fertilizer application and dense planting, the sun-dried green tea produced has high yield, fast growth cycle, strong bitterness and astringency, and the bitter and astringent taste persists in the mouth for a long time, making a huge difference in taste from ancient tree tea.