- HOME >
- How to choose quality tea
Amazing difference between seedling tea and cultivated tea
- [2020.04.01] Posted By Akira Hojo
Do you know that tea is divided into two groups: cultivated tea propagated by cuttings, and seedling tea grown from seed?
There is actually a big difference between cultivated tea and seedling tea.
What is Cultivar?
The cultivated tea refers to tea with a name of specific cultivar, such as Yabukita, Benifuki, Okumidori, Tie Guan Yin, Rou Gui and Qing Xin Oolong. Among the same cultivar, tea from all tea trees gives same flavour profile because it is propagated with cloning technique.
If tea is grown from seed, it does not inherit the same characteristics as the parent tree.
For example, even if you sow the seed of Fuji apple, it won’t grow into Fuji apple but F1 hybrid, although it may carry certain characteristic of Fuji apple.
Because apples and teas are sexual reproduction, like human, so half of the child’s chromosomes are inherited from the mother (female) and another half from the father (male).
Therefore, if you want to preserve unique characteristics, cutting techniques are used. The cutting technique is also a cloning technique. It will preserve the genetic trait.
Although it is only a small part in China, the cultivar is also preserved by grafting.
Seedling ( Zairai) Tea
On the other hand, tea gown from seeds is called “seedling”.
In the case of Japanese tea, it is commonly called as “Zairai”. In Japan, there are teas with unusual names, such as Yabukita Zairai, which means tea was sown from the seeds of Yabukita cultivar.
As mentioned above, the tea sown from seeds differs from tree to tree. Just as we have brothers and sisters. They have similar characteristics but different. When you visit the tea garden, if the tea trees are grown from seeds, you would observe various shapes of tea leaves in one tea garden, as shown in the following two photos.
Tea trees look the same on the ground but the secret lies underground
There are surprising differences between seedlings and cultivated tea.
The difference lies underground.
If you look at the pictures below, seeing is believing.
On the left is a cultivated tea and on the right is seedling tea.
The roots of the seedling is thick and long. It extends deep into the ground, whereas the roots of cultivated tea are thin, and short like hair, and it spread near the ground surface.
The cultivated tea trees have roots near the ground surface, so they are easy to absorb fertilizer, but because of their shallow roots, they are easy to fall down and lack the ability to absorb minerals deep underground.
Seedling tea is resistant to storms and lasts longer. It is rich in minerals because its roots extend deep underground, so under the same conditions, it make the taste of tea thicker and stronger.
In my experience, Yunnan in China has the world’s most prominent seedling teas. There are many old trees in Yunnan, and most of them are seedling teas.
The Quality of Grafted Tea
The grafting technique is also used for preserving cultivar. Relatively, this technique is common for Phoenix Dan Cong.
If you graft a certain cultivar on an ancient tea tree, what do you think about the taste and the quality of the tea?
Right after grafting, the taste is not very good because the branches try to grow fast.
However, it is said that after about eight years, the quality is reaching to the same level as the mother tree.
The method of grafting is an interesting technique because it preserves the unique flavour characteristics, and the quality is maintained.
Related Articles
How to get the latest update on HOJO Tea?
1. Follow Twitter, 2. Click "Like" on Facebook, and 3. Subscribe in newsletter. You can have the latest tea news from HOJO Tea.
- Subscribe the Newsletter to enjoy the privileges
- You may receive a free sample upon purchase, or you may have the priority to purchase special products. So please remember to subscribe our newsletter as well as the social network.
- New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
- Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …
- The new release of Bao Dao Shan Da Cha Tou Brick 2017, exclusively crafted from Da Cha Tou leaves
- Bao Dao Shan Cha Tou Zhuan 2017 is a ripe pu-erh tea crafted into brick form. Bao Dao Shan is the name of the mountain situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan. “Cha Tou” denotes a distinctive type of ripe pu-erh tea. In the course of fermenting spring tea, certain tea clumps naturally develop, known …
NEW ARTICLES
- The Relationship Between Greenness of Tea Leaves and Fertilizer
- For both tea and vegetables, there’s a common misconception that a deeper green colour indicates better quality and greater health benefits. However, this isn’t always the case. Natural plants often have a yellowish-green hue rather than a vibrant green. If you observe wild plants in grasslands or along roadsides during spring, you’ll notice that they …
- Creating Muscatel Black Tea Using a Unique Blending Method
- I would like to introduce the unique creation of black tea with a distinctive muscatel flavor profile. Acquiring Exceptional Mi Xiang Black Tea Have you ever heard of a unique black tea called “Mi Xiang Black Tea” or “Muscatel Black Tea”? This tea is crafted from leaves that have been delicately nibbled by leafhoppers, resulting …
- New Release of Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi
- Lan Yun Tie Guan Yin from Anxi, is not just an ordinary Tie Guan Yin. It has a strikingly delightful flavor reminiscent of orchid flowers with silky-soft drinking sensation. Anxi, renowned as one of the three major Oolong tea production regions in China. Anxi is recognized as one of the three major Oolong tea-producing regions …
- The Difference Between Fermentation in Tea and Fermented Foods
- Black tea and oolong tea are often categorized as “fermented teas,” but the extent to which they undergo fermentation raises questions about whether they truly qualify as fermented foods. In this article, I endeavour to offer a thorough exploration of the distinctions between tea and traditional fermented foods, shedding light on the nuances of their …
- Easy Way to Prepare Flavorful and Warm Tea at the Workplace
- Have you ever experienced the transformation of tea stored in a thermos or water bottle at work, turning into a brown hue and acquiring a bitter, astringent taste? As this has piqued the interest of many, I would like to offer a more in-depth explanation for a solution. Tea stored in a thermos undergoes oxidation …
- The new release of Bao Dao Shan Da Cha Tou Brick 2017, exclusively crafted from Da Cha Tou leaves
- Bao Dao Shan Cha Tou Zhuan 2017 is a ripe pu-erh tea crafted into brick form. Bao Dao Shan is the name of the mountain situated in the southwestern part of Yunnan. “Cha Tou” denotes a distinctive type of ripe pu-erh tea. In the course of fermenting spring tea, certain tea clumps naturally develop, known …
- We released Lapsang Suchong Qi Zhong Classic: Premium Lapsang Souchong
- Lapsang Souchong is one of the earliest known black teas distinguished by a unique production method and flavour profile. Its origins are often linked to the Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian province, where Lapsang Souchong is traditionally crafted. Black tea production in the Wuyi region has a history dating back several centuries. Lapsang Souchong tea …
- Regular Consumption of Umami Seasoning Can Influence Taste Preferences
- Excessive consumption of artificial condiments, such as umami seasonings, is believed to influence one’s taste and preferences. I’d like to share my own view to explore how an overabundance of condiments can indeed influence one’s palate. Umami Seasonings Are Prevalent in Asian Countries I spend half of the year living abroad, particularly in China and …
- Special Release Limited Set of Ancient White Tea from 5 Gardens
- The ancient white tea is a very popular tea in our store. We produced this tea in spring. Following production, it was stored in an oxygen-free environment for several months to further enhance its flavor, achieving the expected maturation. The production of ancient tree white tea is limited in quantity per day, resulting in small …
- The New Arrival of Da Xue Shan Wild White Tea Loose 2023
- We have released the 2023 harvest of wild white tea from the Da Xue Shan. Fresh Green Colour of Leaves Achieved Through Custom Production Da Xue Shan’s wild white tea is an incredibly rare type of white tea, and it’s made from a unique plant called Camellia Taliensis that grows in the wild in the …
Shop Info
Address:Lot No. T-215, 3rd Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2287-4537
Business Hour: 10am to 10pm
Category
- New Arrival at HOJO Online Shop
- Featured Articles
- Newsletter
- Types of Tea
- Origin of Tea
- Teapot and Tea Equipment
- Tea Column
- How to enjoy tea
- Tea Processing
- How to choose quality tea
- Tea constituents and functional effect
- Safety of Tea
- Foods
- Tea Business Operation
- Hobby and Outdoor Activity
- Ranking of Tea
- Video
- FAQ
- Media Release
Profile
- AKIRA HOJO
- I invite you to experience my tea selections.I was born in Nagano, Japan. In university, I studied agricultural chemistry, and I have the master degree in food science. I worked in Japanese food industry for 10 years. I involved in R&D, QC and QA. As a factory manager, I implemented ISO9000 series and managed the factory.
- The Art of Tea Magazine
- We posted the article on “The Art of Tea Magazine No.9, the magazine is published in Taiwan. We featured some scientific view about the tetsubin
- New Straits Times
- The Malaysian National Newspaper, New Straits Times featured HOJO Tea on 17-Oct-2007.