Yunnan(云南) province can be found in the South West of China, and is known for being the origin of an astounding number of diverse teas. It borders Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Tibet in China, and also borders Vietnam, Laos, and Burma. Yunnan contains the oldest tea growing areas in the world, and most connoisseurs would agree that some of the best are still found here.

 

Yunnan has been described as a natural botanical garden, with more than half of the known plant species in China found there. Among many hundreds of medicinal herbs, spices and other plants, this ecological treasure trove includes the tea plant itself, Camellia sinensis and its broad-leafed assamica varietal. The climate tends to be mild, with heavily seasonal rainfall (very wet summers and very dry winters). In the warmest parts of the province the climate is tropical and the cooler areas are subtropical.

 

Yunnan is best known for its Pu-erh tea, a type of dark tea that originated here and is still produced primarily in the region. The techniques used to manufacture pu-erh are unique to Yunnan, with local traditions on individual plantations and factories making each growing area unique. Yunnan also produces black and green teas, many of which have unique qualities setting them apart from teas produced elsewhere.