Qing Xin

Qing Xin (青心, "Soft Stem") is the dominant cultivar across nearly all of Taiwan's prestigious oolong-producing regions — Lishan, Alishan, Shanlinxi, Dong Ding, and others all rely substantially on Qing Xin plantings. The cultivar produces the floral, creamy, vegetal-sweet cup character that defines Taiwanese oolong globally. Most internationally-recognized Taiwanese tea — high-mountain or traditional — uses Qing Xin material.

The cultivar requires substantial cultivation expertise. It's less productive than alternatives like Jin Xuan, more demanding to grow, and prone to disease in lower-altitude or warmer plantings. The high-altitude Taiwanese growing regions provide ideal conditions: cool temperatures, frequent fog, well-drained mountain slopes. The combination of Qing Xin genetics and Taiwanese high-mountain terroir produces the distinctive cup character that makes Taiwanese oolong globally prestigious. Plantings outside Taiwan (mainland China, Vietnam, Indonesia) produce recognizably similar but distinct cup character.

Teas produced

Flavor signature

Growing regions

• Taiwan (all major oolong regions)