The Chinese name of this tea, 白牡丹 (Bai Mu Dan), comes from its visual beauty. Once brewed, the green leaves enclose the tender bud, like a peony bud about to open.

The round buds and soft, curvy, convex leaves are naturally curled slightly at the ends. The tea still holds the stems, with the leaf and the bud attached.

The leaves are light grayish green, surrounding the silvery bud heart. On the back of the leaves, the silver hairs (bai hao) look fine and delicate. The curled edges are a little bowed under naturally. The brewed tea has a transparent color, ranging from apricot-yellow to orange-yellow. The wet leaves are pale gray with a rosy hue on the stalks. Its scent is fresh and pure.

In picking, it is chosen very strictly, one bud and two young leaves from the early spring tea season. The bud and two leaves must be about the same length. The bai hao must cover both the bud and the two leaves.

The most important process in producing White Peony is withering. The withering period needs to be tailored to suit the weather. Normally the withering process is done indoors, and sometimes a combination of indoors and slight withering in the open air.

The best time to do the withering is in spring or autumn, when the weather is clear and cool. In summer, it is sunny but not humid. Only the most ideal weather conditions can allow it to develop its aroma and taste.