白毫银针白毫銀針
Silver Needle
Bud-only white tea made from Dabai or Shuixian plant material under the national product definition. Fuding and Zhenghe are important production origins.
- Category
- White teaWhite tea 白茶
- Style
- Bud white tea (白芽茶)
- Part of
- White tea
- Forms
- Loose leaf, Cake
- Region
- Cultivars
- Fuding Dabai, Fuding Dahao, Zhenghe Dabai, Shuixian
- Harvest
- Spring buds are central to production. The 2009 Fuding GI annex specifies picking before Qingming; this is a regional requirement, not a calendar for every Silver Needle origin.
- Definitions
- 123
Character#
Downy, usually straight buds and pale yellow to apricot liquor. Clean, delicate, hay-like or floral notes are common descriptions; strength and colour vary with plant material, processing, storage and brewing.
Processing#
Plucking single buds
采摘单芽Unopened buds only. GB/T 22291-2017 requires single buds of 大白茶 (Dabai) or 水仙 (Shuixian) cultivars; the Fuding draft standard limits Fuding Silver Needle to Fuding Dahao and Fuding Dabai.
Withering
萎凋Natural indoor, combined or heated withering may be used. The Fuding GI technical text distinguishes natural and heated schedules; the leaf condition and processing method matter more than a single universal number of days.
Drying
干燥Low-temperature bake-dry; for Fuding GI parameters see the white-tea entry.
Sorting
拣剔
Also sold or written as 9#
Chinese variants
- 银针Silver Needle
- 绿雪芽(Lüxueya, 'green snow shoots')Given by en-Wikipedia as an older name; it is also the name of the 'mother tree' on Taimu mountain.
Romanisations
- Baihao Yinzhen
- Bai Hao Yin Zhen
Translations and trade names
- Yinzhen
- White Hair Silver Needle
- White Tea Silver NeedleWording of the English Fuding GI specification.
- Fuding Silver Needle / Zhenghe Silver NeedleOrigin-and-style names; the two styles differ (see ambiguities).
- Silbernadel
Names and ambiguities#
'Silver needle' teas that are not this tea
Many downy-bud teas look similar. en-Wikipedia notes that most look-alikes are green teas. GB/T 22291-2017 ties the name to single buds of Dabai or Shuixian cultivars withered and dried. The standard does not say whether Yunnan large-leaf 'Dabai' buds, such as Jinggu Dabai, count as '大白茶' for this purpose.
Notes#
Two grades within a distinct product#
GB/T 22291-2017 lists special grade and grade 1 for Silver Needle. Bud-only material distinguishes the product; it does not make every Silver Needle superior to every White Peony or Gong Mei.
Origin and form both matter#
A 2022 Yunnan Agricultural University comparison included loose and compressed Zhenghe Silver Needle alongside a Jinggu bud-only white tea. A needle-shaped, downy appearance alone therefore cannot establish the producing region or the full product identity. Junshan Silver Needle is a separate yellow tea despite sharing “silver needle” in its name.
A bud-only tea need not begin as a bud-only pluck#
The monograph describes Silver Needle made either from isolated plucked buds or from bud-and-leaf shoots whose leaves were removed by hand. It distinguishes removing leaves before withering from removing them after substantial sun withering, and also records an indoor route for wet weather. Bud-only describes the finished material here; it does not prove that every bud was picked separately or underwent the same weather-dependent sequence (p. 380).
Where to buy#
Price ranks compare recorded retail offers for the same tea, including offers outside the current delivery filter. Shipping and import charges are excluded.
Prices compared in the selected currency; unknown values appear last.
| Product | Vendor | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weißer Tee China Yin Zhen Silver Needle | TeaworldSelected destinations |
€11.60 / 100 g | $13.01 €11.60 / 100 g |
China Guangxi Early Spring Silver Needle White Tea
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
What-ChaSelected destinations |
£15.40 / 100 g | $20.55 £15.40 / 100 g |
Guangxi Silver Needle
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yoshi enSelected destinations |
€15.90 / 80 g | $22.29 €19.88 / 100 g |
| Bio Silver Needle Bai Hao Yin Zhen | Tee Kontor KielWorldwide |
€19.90 / 100 g | $22.32 €19.90 / 100 g |
China Yunnan Silver Needle White Tea
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
What-ChaSelected destinations |
£19.00 / 100 g | $25.36 £19.00 / 100 g |
| China Silverneedle Yin Zhen 1st grade - Weißer Tee | TeaworldSelected destinations |
€30.90 / 100 g | $34.65 €30.90 / 100 g |
China Silver Needle
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
A.C. Perch’sSelected destinations |
DKK 236.00 / 100 g | $35.41 DKK 236.00 / 100 g |
| 小葉私房茶特制—「針貴」正宗福鼎核心產區白毫銀針小餅 | Yip TeaSelected destinations |
HK$300.00 / 100 g | $38.22 HK$300.00 / 100 g |
| Silver Needle White Tea | Ki Chan Tea Co. LtdSelected destinations |
HK$460.00 / 150 g | $39.07 HK$306.67 / 100 g |
| Yin Zhen White Tea | Northern Tea MerchantsSelected destinations |
£15.87 / 50 g | $42.36 £31.74 / 100 g |
| Zheng He Silver Needle | Beautiful Taiwan Tea CompanyWorldwide |
$34.99 / 75 g | $46.65 |
| Fuding Silver Needle | TeewaldSelected destinations |
€10.50 / 20 g | $58.88 €52.50 / 100 g |
| Silver Brocade Lao Bai Cha 2018 | Flying Bird TeaSelected destinations |
€27.00 / 50 g | $60.56 €54.00 / 100 g |
| bai hao yin zhen | Masters TeasSelected destinations |
$29.00 / 43 g | $67.44 |
| Silver Needle White Tea | Yee On Tea Co.Selected destinations |
HK$800.00 / 150 g | $67.95 HK$533.33 / 100 g |
| Silver Tips | Länggass-TeeSelected destinations |
CHF 43.50 / 75 g | $70.42 CHF 58.00 / 100 g |
Sterling Silver Needles
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
TeaSourceSelected destinations |
$42.95 / 56.7 g | $75.75 |
| Bai Hao Yin Zhen 2026 | NannuoshanWorldwide |
€34.00 / 50 g | $76.26 €68.00 / 100 g |
Silver Needle
Details and price notesCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
Germany/EUR storefront price, excluding tax and tariff. |
Tea HongSelected destinations |
€28.00 / 40 g | $78.51 €70.00 / 100 g |
Bio Fujian Silver Needle
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yoshi enSelected destinations |
€22.90 / 30 g | $85.61 €76.33 / 100 g |
Fuding Silver Needle Imperial Grade
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Yoshi enSelected destinations |
€26.90 / 30 g | $100.56 €89.67 / 100 g |
| Silver Needle BIO | TeekennerSelected destinations |
€179.60 / 200 g | $100.71 €89.80 / 100 g |
Top Flight Spring Fuding Silver Needle White Tea
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Bitterleaf TeasSelected destinations |
$62.00 / 60 g | $103.33 |
| Silver Needle BIO | TeekennerSelected destinations |
€49.90 / 50 g | $111.93 €99.80 / 100 g |
| Wild Fuding Silver Needle | TeewaldSelected destinations |
€20.50 / 20 g | $114.95 €102.50 / 100 g |
Prices recorded on the dates checked. Conversions use ECB rates dated 2026-10-20; original prices appear alongside. Origin, age and cultivar are stated by the vendor.
Prices by sales channel#
International retail
Show as table
| Product | Vendor | Channel | per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weißer Tee China Yin Zhen Silver Needle | Teaworld | International retail | $13.01 |
| China Guangxi Early Spring Silver Needle White Tea | What-Cha | International retail | $20.55 |
| Guangxi Silver Needle | Yoshi en | International retail | $22.29 |
| Bio Silver Needle Bai Hao Yin Zhen | Tee Kontor Kiel | International retail | $22.32 |
| China Yunnan Silver Needle White Tea | What-Cha | International retail | $25.36 |
| China Silverneedle Yin Zhen 1st grade - Weißer Tee | Teaworld | International retail | $34.65 |
| China Silver Needle | A.C. Perch’s | International retail | $35.41 |
| 小葉私房茶特制—「針貴」正宗福鼎核心產區白毫銀針小餅 | Yip Tea | International retail | $38.22 |
| Silver Needle White Tea | Ki Chan Tea Co. Ltd | International retail | $39.07 |
| Yin Zhen White Tea | Northern Tea Merchants | International retail | $42.36 |
| Zheng He Silver Needle | Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company | International retail | $46.65 |
| Fuding Silver Needle | Teewald | International retail | $58.88 |
| Silver Brocade Lao Bai Cha 2018 | Flying Bird Tea | International retail | $60.56 |
| bai hao yin zhen | Masters Teas | International retail | $67.44 |
| Silver Needle White Tea | Yee On Tea Co. | International retail | $67.95 |
| Silver Tips | Länggass-Tee | International retail | $70.42 |
| Sterling Silver Needles | TeaSource | International retail | $75.75 |
| Bai Hao Yin Zhen 2026 | Nannuoshan | International retail | $76.26 |
| Silver Needle | Tea Hong | International retail | $78.51 |
| Bio Fujian Silver Needle | Yoshi en | International retail | $85.61 |
| Fuding Silver Needle Imperial Grade | Yoshi en | International retail | $100.56 |
| Silver Needle BIO | Teekenner | International retail | $100.71 |
| Top Flight Spring Fuding Silver Needle White Tea | Bitterleaf Teas | International retail | $103.33 |
| Silver Needle BIO | Teekenner | International retail | $111.93 |
| Wild Fuding Silver Needle | Teewald | International retail | $114.95 |
| Yin Zhen | Länggass-Tee | International retail | $121.41 |
| Fuding Silver Needle | Teewald | International retail | $145.23 |
| Xiao Mi Zhen Wild Small Silver Needles | Tea Habitat | International retail | $172.84 |
| Wild Bai Hao Yin Zhen | Tea Drunk | International retail | $500.00 |
Sources#
What these sources support
The monograph describes Silver Needle made either from isolated plucked buds or from bud-and-leaf shoots whose leaves were removed by hand. It distinguishes removing leaves before withering from removing them after substantial sun withering, and also records an indoor route for wet weather. Bud-only describes the finished material here; it does not prove that every bud was picked separately or underwent the same weather-dependent sequence (p. 380).
中国农业出版社 / China Agriculture PressFull text · Printed pp. 380–380; PDF pages 459–459 (1-based) · checked 2026-10-20
Scope and limits: This monograph was published in 2000. Its account does not establish universal or present-day practice, or the requirements of modern standards.
- 王镇恒、王广智主编. 中国名茶志. 中国农业出版社, 2000年12月第1版. ISBN 7-109-06510-3 / 9787109065109.