Have you heard of “Five-Color Tea” but aren’t quite sure what kind of tea it is? What are the five colors, how is it made, and what makes it so special? Let us walk you through it.
What is Five-Color Tea?
Five-Color Tea is actually Pengfeng tea, commonly known as Oriental Beauty Tea! It is a heavily oxidized oolong tea unique to Taiwan. The name “Five-Color Tea” comes from the five distinct colors found in its dry leaves: white, green, yellow, red, and brown. People have called it this since earlier times. Although named Five-Color Tea, the predominant colors are white, red, yellow, and brown, with green only appearing when the oxidation level is lower. Generally speaking, teas with prominent white tips and red leaves are of higher quality.
Characteristics of Five-Color Tea
The most unique aspect of Five-Color Tea is that the tea leaves must be bitten by small green leafhoppers. The “bites” stimulate the leaves to develop a distinctive honey-like aroma. The main harvesting season for Five-Color Tea runs from May to August, which is when the small green leafhoppers reproduce most actively.
Because Five-Color Tea relies on leafhopper bites for its production, pesticide use is strictly prohibited in the tea gardens during harvest. This makes Five-Color Tea widely regarded as a healthy and safe tea choice.