Tea harvest seasons explained

By CI&TI|27 February 2025

Tea plants grow in flushes: periods when new shoots appear. When the leaves are picked shapes the taste of the tea in your cup.

Harvest seasons differ by region and altitude, but the pattern is similar in most tea gardens. Knowing it helps you read a tea description and choose a tea you will enjoy.

01
Spring
Spring tea is the most sought after. After the winter rest, the first tender buds are rich in aroma and gentle sweetness. In China, green teas picked before the Qingming festival in early April are called Ming Qian and are especially prized. Spring is also the main season for many white teas and fine oolongs.
02
Summer
Warm weather and rain make the plants grow fast. Summer leaves are larger and fuller in flavour, often with more briskness. They suit black teas and everyday blends well.
03
Autumn
As growth slows, autumn leaves develop a mellow, rounded character. Many oolongs from Taiwan and Fujian have a well-loved autumn harvest with a rich, floral aroma.
04
Winter
In most gardens the plants rest. In some warm or high regions a small winter harvest gives delicate, sweet teas that are made in small quantities.
05
Darjeeling flushes
In Darjeeling the seasons have their own names: the first flush in March and April gives light, flowery teas; the second flush in May and June gives fuller, muscatel teas; the autumnal flush in October and November gives soft, mellow teas.
06
Botanical teas
Flower and fruit infusions follow their own calendar. Rosebuds are picked just before they open, chrysanthemums are harvested in autumn, and red dates are picked ripe and dried. Their packs show the ingredients and how to prepare them.
07
What this means when you buy tea
Look for the harvest season and year on the pack. For green and white tea, fresher is usually better; oolong, black tea and pu-erh keep well for longer. Taste a spring and a summer tea of the same kind side by side to find the style you prefer.