Introduction:The terms "old bush" and "single plant" in Phoenix Dancong Oolong are often confused by tea enthusiasts, but in reality, they differ significantly in both harvesting logic and flavor expression. This article delves into the definitions of old bush, single plant, and single cultivar, helping you understand the scarcity and procurement insights of high-altitude tea trees in Wuyan Mountain, while also sharing on-site selection experiences to help you avoid common pitfalls and accurately choose your desired Oolong tea.
In the classification of Phoenix Dancong, the terms "old bush" and "single plant" are frequently used interchangeably, but the harvesting and production logics they represent are actually quite different. Simply put, "old bush" emphasizes the age of the tea tree, whereas "single plant" refers to tea leaves harvested and processed independently from a single tea tree. As a key production area for Phoenix Dancong, Wuyan Mountain boasts precious high-altitude old tea tree resources. These renowned single cultivars are often in high demand and may even require advance reservations. Through actual tea purchasing experiences, this article clarifies the differences between single cultivar, old bush, and single plant, and shares the process of procuring Wuyan famous-tree single plants in 2016, helping tea enthusiasts establish a clearer selection mindset.
Every year, we plan trips to Fenghuang Village to select local Phoenix Single Cultivar Oolongs. Recalling 2016, we successfully procured a tea product that was not yet widely categorized at the time—Dan Zhu Oolong Tea. This experience also gave us a deeper understanding of the tea tree resources on Wuyan Mountain.
Many people mistakenly assume that "single cultivar" means a single tea tree, but literally speaking, a single cultivar originally referred to an independent tea tree. However, in today’s Chaozhou tea region, the usage of this term has evolved. The lower-priced Phoenix Dancong Oolongs on the market mostly come from managed plantation-style tea gardens, and such teas typically do not meet the traditional definition of a "single cultivar."
Currently, what the market refers to as a "single cultivar" more often denotes tea trees that are not planted in organized gardens but exist as individual plants. Tea farmers or merchants usually classify teas with similar genetic traits and that exhibit unique floral and fruity aromas as single cultivars. The yield of such teas is generally controlled to within five to six kilograms per batch. As for tea trees propagated by seeds and with less distinctive aroma profiles, they are usually categorized as Shuixian-type teas.
So, what is an old bush? Within the scope of single cultivar Oolong, an old bush refers to single cultivar tea made from leaves harvested from older tea trees. However, there is no unified industry standard for what constitutes "old." Observations suggest that this largely depends on the judgment of the tea maker. Some believe that only trees over 100 years old can be called old bushes, while others feel that a century-old tree isn’t particularly old. In practice, an old bush may come from a single old tea tree or from a group of trees with similar age, variety, and flavor profiles. The key point is that the term "old bush" is primarily used to describe tea made from the fresh leaves of older tea trees, rather than referring to any specific single tree.
Most Phoenix Dancong tea trees are not planted in organized gardens. These aged trees, having grown over many years, are referred to as old bushes. These tea trees usually grow in the high-altitude environment of the Phoenix Mountain region, which contributes to their unique flavor layers.
As for single-plant Phoenix Dancong, it refers to tea leaves that are independently picked, processed, and sold from a single tea tree. This concept is not only found in Phoenix Dancong but is also common in the Pu’er tea domain. Strictly speaking, if only the fresh leaves of one tea tree are picked and processed and sold independently, without mixing materials from other trees, it can be called a single-plant tea. However, in practice, tea makers usually select only very old tea trees to produce single-plant teas to ensure unique and layered flavors.
For Phoenix Dancong, altitude is one of the key factors influencing quality. Wuyan Mountain is renowned for producing high-quality Phoenix Dancong, especially in high-altitude areas above 1000 meters, where the number of old tea trees is quite limited. Since the production area of Phoenix Dancong is inherently small—especially compared to the large-scale production regions of Pu’er tea—those well-known single-plant tea trees are usually famous trees recognized throughout the entire village. These teas are not only relatively expensive, but more importantly, they often need to be reserved before the tea season begins to ensure a certain quantity can be purchased.
Looking back at 2016, we successfully procured three single-plant Phoenix Dancong teas from famous trees on Wuyan Mountain. One of them was particularly noteworthy—the renowned "Wen Zhong" tea. This tea tree grows in the mountainous area of Wuyan Village, owned by the Wen family. It is said to have stood for several hundred years, though no one can pinpoint its exact age. This tea tree enjoys great fame and is even recorded in the book 《Phoenix Dancong》, making it one of the representative old tea trees of Phoenix Dancong.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
