Collation/ The Tantalums - Han-Yi Han-Yi

Update: 2025/06/08

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Tea Ethnology Database] Taiwan Tea No. 1, Are there any other tea tree varieties you don't know? The Field Notes of Mr Tuan

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The King of Taiwan's High Mountain Tea

Green Heart Oolong (Alias: Green Heart, Oolong, Seed, Seed Tea, Soft Tea, Oolong, Jade Bush)

source	Small-leafed alien species
bloodline	Fujian
common name	Soft Branch, Seed, Flag
Type	I (self-deprecatory, in front of elders) (old)
special feature	Leaf length oval, veins 60 degrees, sawtooth short and dense, slightly curved
adaptability	Green Tea, Green Tea, Black Tea
Variety of Fragrance	Groundnut Leaf, White Yellow Flower, Orange Blossom, Guava, Pineapple

Labelled for its sweetness, aftertaste and structure.

• Taiwan's high mountains above 1000mThe majority of tea trees planted are of this flavour!
• Also known as soft branch oolong, originated from Anxi, Fujian Province.
• Small-leafed species, suitable for the production of partially fermented late-growing species.
• Cold hardiness, strong aftertaste, groundnut flavour
• Leaf flesh is slightly thicker, veins are pale and obvious
• Young shoots are purple
• Leaf blade narrowly elliptic
• Weak trees, susceptible to "blight" and low yield.
• Horizontal spreading type, the tree is shorter and weaker.
• Most commonly used for Bauhinia and Oolong tea.

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Characteristics of Greenheart Oolong

It is also known as "Soft Branch Oolong", which is a short-legged oolong from Anxi, Fujian Province. The most famous story is that in 1855, Lin Feng-chi introduced this tea tree from Fujian to Taiwan. The current version of Green Heart Oolong was cultivated by combining the tea trees introduced during the Japanese rule or by selective breeding in Taiwan. Taiwan has a long history of cultivation, and it can be grown in all tea-producing regions, and different types of tea can be made through different processes.

• Cold hardiness, strong aftertaste, groundnut flavour
• Groundnut leaves with more starch, rough and long, honeyed groundnut flavour.
• This variety is more delicate but well accepted in the market.
• Greenheart oolong is more adaptable than soft oolong.

Although Greenheart Oolong tea trees have the potential to produce high quality tea, they are weak and susceptible to blight, so grafting is often used to improve their cultivation performance and they are suitable for breeding.

According to the information provided by the Improvement Ground Study, the combination of the green heart oolong with theTaiwan Tea No.12 (Jin Xuan)Grafting can significantly improve disease resistance and increase yield stability.Tea Tree Grafted Cuttings: Improved Application and ProspectsProper fertiliser application and drainage, reasonable pruning intervals and garden cleaning are all important tools to enhance the management of green heart oolong tea gardens.

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Oolong DNA= 100% Green Heart Oolong?

It can be regarded as a close relative, and some researchers consider it to be the same species. The soft branch oolong is a small-leafed variety suitable for making partially-fermented late-growth varieties. The mahogany stalks are more fibrous than those of the green heart oolong, and the buds are a bit fatter than those of the green heart oolong. As this variety is an extremely historical and widely grown variety, it is also known by its nicknames such as Green Heart Oolong, Seedling, Seed Tea, Soft Branch Oolong, and so on.

Slightly small tree with small leaves, open type, densely branched, with purple buds, long narrow oval leaves, slightly thick and soft elastic leaf flesh, rich glossy green colour.

The quality of the tea made from this variety is not only excellent, but also popular among consumers. Green Heart Oolong has become the most widely planted variety in Taiwan, while Soft Branch Oolong is less common, but unfortunately, the trees are weak and susceptible to withering disease and low yield.

In the beginning, there were green heart, red heart and yellow heart oolongs, but later on, green heart oolongs were the most suitable for Taiwan.

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Green Heart Oolong

In the early years, most of our ancestors came to Taiwan from Jang and Quan, and some of them frequently came back to Fujian, so it can be seen that the origin of the Green Heart Oolong is from Fujian Province.

After many years of interviews with senior citizens and academic institutions, Tuan finally answered the question, and concluded that a species of short-legged oolong was brought to Taiwan from Fujian Province during the Qing Dynasty, and that after many years of localisation and adaptation to Taiwan's land name, it became a soft-stemmed oolong, which was then re-introduced from Fujian Province by the administration of the Japanese government during the period of Japanese rule.』The result of the breeding is the present-day Green Heart Oolong tea tree, which is the speculation of more previous researchers.

At that time, the earliest folk legend, can be regarded as a legend, can also be regarded as a beautiful marketing story, also recorded in the "Lugu Township Journal" or the Lugu Township Farmers' Association Tea Culture Museum: During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty (around 1855), Taiwan's Nantou County Lugu Township scholar Lin Feng-chi, before being awarded the title to the provincial city of Fuzhou to take the examination, after winning the election, remembered his mother's will when he left home to hurry to the exams, "the examination is hanging list, return to Taiwan to bring something to thank the villagers old friends". to thank your relatives and old friends." So he bought a bundle of 36 Jianwu Short-footed Oolong tea seedlings, which are said to be the "Short-footed Oolong≒Soft Oolong" and brought them back to Lugu Township to distribute them to the villagers, 12 of which were planted in Frozen Peak (Cold Topped Oolongmarry sb. (of woman)Descendants of Lam Fung Chi).

Although it is impossible to prove whether it was Lin Fengchi, or the Su family, or even other unknown predecessors of Tangshan over Taiwan, who brought this tea tree back to Taiwan from Fujian, it is currently in the vicinity of the Imperial Tea Plantation at Beiyuan, Fenghuang Mountain, Guilin Village, Dongfeng Township, Jianwu City, Fujian Province, where there is now a stone monument that reads, "The Original Plantation of the Taiwan Greenheart Oolong Tea Breeds," which is a century-old tea plantation, and is also indicated to be the ancestral home of the Greenheart Oolong Tea. It is an old tea tree that is nearly 200 years old, which also indicates that it is the ancestral home of Green Heart Oolong, but it can be used as a reference for those who are related by blood, and you can refer to the following picture for a higher degree of credibility.

The Centennial Oolong Tea Plantation in Jian'eu, Fujian Province, is the father of Taiwanese tea in the 1990s, Wu Zhenduo, led a team of 14 experts to participate in the "Fujian-Taiwan Tea Academic Symposium", made a special trip to visit the centennial tea plantation of this short-footed oolong, recognising it as Taiwan's Greenheart Oolong of the same species or its ancestor, when members of the team specially set up an inscription in commemoration of the tea plantation next to the specially set up an inscription in commemoration of the tea plantation.

According to one of the 14 participants at the time, Lan Fangren senior, in his memoirs on 29 May 2012, Wu Zhenduo said, "The Green Heart Oolong variety has been widely cultivated in Taiwan, and it was brought to Taiwan from China, but it has been eliminated from the mainland, and there is no longer any Green Heart Oolong tea, nor any academic reports on it. I think I should try it just this once in my lifetime! We must find the Greenheart Oolong tea tree here to have enough evidence to prove that Greenheart Oolong was brought to Taiwan from China."

Wu Zhenduo relied on a quote from ancient literature: "During the Song Dynasty, when the tea competition was at its peak, a catty of tea could be sold for more than ten taels of silver" to pinpoint the locations in Jianweng, Jianyang, and Wuyi Mountain areas (in fact, I don't understand the logic of this paragraph, but I'll record it first so that I don't forget it in the future), and the team arrived at the local area to find the tea collectors in Jianweng to ask them where there were the tea gardens for the small-leaf oolong strain, and asked to be taken to the site to visit the fourth tea garden where the tea gardens had been deserted for many years and the trees were more than one hundred years old. When we visited the fourth tea plantation, we found a tea plantation that had been abandoned for many years and the trees were over 100 years old. I was like a treasure, jumping up and down on the ridges of the fields, laughing between the deserted tea gardens, which were divided into two zones of about 0.3 hectares, saying, "Will the farmers on the other side of the field think that I, an old man, am a lunatic? This tea plantation belongs to the Fujian Jianwu City Hundred Years Oolong Tea Co.Beiyuan Imperial TeaPlace of origin.

There is another theory, generally regarded as "false" literature, that the Frozen Top Oolong (Lin Fengchi) tea seedlings came from the Tianxin Zen Temple in Wuyi Mountain at that time, and that there is a discrepancy between the time of Lin Fengchi and the time of the inscription on the tablet, which means that the tea tree species is not correct, and that the Da Hong Pao and the Greenheart Oolong have no relationship whatsoever. On the contrary, Wu Zhenduo traced the origin of the short-footed oolong said more credible.

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Study on the kinship of Greenheart Oolong varieties

SSR genetic analysisIn a cross-strait study using molecular markers to assess genetic diversity and relatedness of oolong tea tree species, most Chinese tea tree species branch out and become clustered according to their origin groups. The Taiwanese Greenheart Oolong strain has the lowest genetic diversity, is relatively homogeneous, and is separated from the current Minnan Short-footed Oolong group. Still the same small-leaved species Camellia sinensis  var. sinensisSystem.

(To put it plainly, the sexual reproduction of the Dwarf Oolong community is different from the current asexual reproduction of the Green Heart Oolong tea tree, but we cannot say that they are completely unrelated. It is because they are all of the same origin.)

DNA identification of Taiwanese lines was carried out on Taiwan's native tea tree varieties at the tea reformatory. The DNA bands of tea tree samples with the name "Green Heart Oolong" (qingxin oolong) of about '57%' were found to be different in the asexual lineages from different regions, resulting in a certain degree of genetic differentiation. There are no independent reports in the public literature of direct kinship comparisons between Greenheart and Short-footed oolongs.

(This means that the green heart oolongs from different tea regions in Taiwan may grow differently, which is a normal situation. The relationship with the short-legged oolong from the other side of the Taiwan Strait is even more difficult to confirm).

The book "Tea in Taiwan" by Lin Mulian and others also points out that the Green Heart Oolong originated from Fujian, China and was cultivated in Taiwan.

To date, there is no credible information to suggest that the two species are unrelated. However, the evidence tends to support the idea that they are "homologous" species, most likely different asexual lines or spatial and temporal offshoots of the same lineage with very close affinities. In conclusion, with the combination of scientific and historical evidence, Green Heart Oolong, Soft-branched Oolong and Short-footed Oolong should be regarded as the same species of Oolong Tea Tree with the same origin.

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Experience of Finished Green Heart Oolong

Green Tea (Oolong)

This is the most classic of all, there are so many versions, usually with a distinctive floral and fruity aroma, orchids, and a pronounced sweet aftertaste.

1. Wenshan Bao Seed TeaOolong Flavour: Considered an iconic variety, the Oolong Flavour refers to the characteristics of the Green Heart Oolong variety, which is exceptionally well watered, with a prominent floral aroma and a fresh, crisp taste, with jasmine and gardenia notes accompanied by hints of green bamboo.
2. High Mountain Oolong TeaThe most popular varieties are from high altitude, and they are the ones that best show the characteristics of the high mountains. They are loved for their unique sweetness and delicate mountain aroma, with orchid, magnolia, and sweet fruity flavours, with a lot of sweetness in the aftertaste.
3. Roasted Oolong Tea: usually referred to asIced Oolong TeaThe aroma is full-bodied and warm, with pronounced notes of roasted nuts, caramel, ripe fruit and a hint of cinnamon honey, with a subtle woodiness.
4. Oriental Beauty Tea: After being bitten by the small green leafhopper, the tea leaves will produce its unique honey and fruity aroma, with distinctive ripe fruit, honey and light nectar scent, combining sweetness and elegance.

Red Oolong

Greenheart OolongRed OolongTropical fruits such as pineapple, passion fruit, mango, aroma of ripe fruits and honeyed fruits, full-bodied and mellow in taste, rich in layers, with a quick and sweet aftertaste (low altitude has no advantage)

green tea

Fresh grassy and floral aroma, refreshing and fresh, with a sweet flavour (failing to do so is blanched groundnut leaves)

Yellow Tea

Chestnut and sweetcorn (only the test samples have been drunk)

plain tea

There is a great melon flavour, have had a small cucumber and cantaloupe, green apple aroma, delicate honey sweet, sweet and elegant, soft taste (high quality is very good to drink, do fail to drink is the leaves of water flavour)

black tea

Honeyed, fruity and sweet aroma, sweet and full-bodied flavour, thick mouthfeel (it's common to make honeyed groundnut aroma, but I don't like it)

orange tea

Strictly speaking, I don't think it's good, it has a kind of boring fruity aroma, and it's not as beautiful as white tea.

black tea

I've never seen anyone do it.

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Contribution of Green Heart Oolong Species

Greenheart Oolong is one of the most widely cultivated tea tree varieties introduced in Taiwan in the early days, which not only plays an important role in the market, but also plays a key role in the breeding of tea leaves.

For example, the Taiwan Tea Industry Improvement Plant breeds theTaiwan Tea No. 20 (Ying Xiang)及Taiwan Tea No.22 (Qin Yu)Green heart oolong is the main parent of these varieties, and through crossbreeding, it has been improved to enhance disease resistance and aroma quality.

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Production seasons subject to terrain differences

There is a saying that the higher the altitude, the better. In fact, the smaller the quantity, the higher the market value.

It has the longest history of cultivation in Taiwan, the largest area of cultivation, and is currently the most popular tea in the tea market. Green Heart Oolong is a late-blooming variety, and its production period is related to altitude and latitude.Taitung DeerfieldIt can be harvested in mid-February, around April in Nantou and May or June in Lishan. The most distinctive features of this product are its fresh aroma and sweet flavour.Orchids and OsmanthusThe aroma of the tea. Due to the excellent quality of the tea, it is grown in all tea regions in Taiwan, and is called "Seed Flag" in the northern Pinglin Tea Region, and "Oolong Flag" or "Frozen Flag" in the central part of the country.

The shape of the tree is slightly small and open, the branches and leaves are relatively dense, the leaf shape is long elliptic, the widest at the 5~6 points of the leaf, the leaf flesh is slightly thick, the core is soft and elastic, the colour of the leaf is rich green and glossy, the veins of the leaf are pale and obvious and the angle of the main veins is the smallest and only about 400 on the average, and the young buds are purple. Due to the excellent quality of the tea, it is cultivated in all tea regions of the province and is suitable for the production of packet seed tea, which is a late-blooming species.

In recent years, despite the emergence of more and more new varieties of tea plant in Taiwan, Green Heart Oolong continues to be popular in the market for its classic and consistent quality. According to market surveys, consumers areHigh-altitude areas (e.g., Lei Shan, Cedar Creek)Green Heart Oolong is particularly well received, with a preference for moderately fermented teas with distinctive floral and fruity aromas. In the future, in terms of marketing, the commercial operation will certainly place more emphasis on highlighting the characteristics of different production regions and the delicate aroma levels, so as to further enhance the market recognition of Greenheart Oolong.

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Chemical Composition Analysis of Fragrance

Common aromas of Green Heart Oolong include: Osmanthus, Orange, Orchid, Fruity, Honey, Groundnut Leaf, White Yellow Flower, Orange Blossom, Guava, Pineapple, and...

These fragrances are chemically close to each other:

• Linalool
• cis-Nerolidol
• cis-Jasmone

All three are important volatile constituents affecting the aroma of green heart oolong fruits.

Linalool gives the tea a bright floral and fruity flavour, while cis-Nerolidol helps to enhance the strength and persistence of the tea leaves, and cis-Jasmone provides a delicate jasmine aroma.

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Properties with presence

Greenheart Oolong ancestor, native to the Wuyi Mountain region of Fujian, China, can be understood as a vegetable tea under the sexual reproduction of dill seedlings, and the genetics of the early varieties were mainly planted in Yongchun, Anxi, and Zhangping Yongfu, etc. After its introduction to Taiwan, it was rapidly popularised and localised in Japan. After its introduction to Taiwan, it rapidly became popular and localised, and was selected for breeding during the Japanese period, becoming one of the most representative tea tree varieties in Taiwan, and is especially widely distributed in Taiwan's high altitude regions, and can be found in Nantou, Chiayi, New Taipei City, Yilan, Taichung, Hualien and Taitung.

During the heyday of Taiwan's tea industry, the area planted with Green Heart Oolong once accounted for more than half of the country's total tea gardens.Over 40%The market has been dominated by the Green Heart Oolong, which has been introduced to Vietnam and China for its suitability and aroma quality. In addition to Taiwan and China, Greenheart Oolong has also been introduced to Vietnam, Northern Thailand (e.g. Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai), Sumatra, Indonesia, and the North Island of New Zealand, which are the tea regions where Taiwanese businessmen have transferred their technology, due to its suitability and aroma quality.

 

Extended Reading:

• The 108 Questions of Tea - A collection of the top 100 Q&A's from professional tea tasters!
• Tea Varieties Database】Taiwanese Tea No. 1, Are there any other tea tree varieties you don't know? The Field Notes of Mr Tuan
• Oolong Tea Brewing Tips
• Visiting the Four Major Oolong Teas. The Four Regions of Oolong Tea (Guangdong, Minnan, Minbei, Taiwan)
• Tea Perfume: P.Seven Taiwan Tea Perfume, Nostalgic Memory Scent "Aged Tea Dark Scent

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